


What The Seeker Had Sought

by Aescela



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Aloy is badass, Angst, Character Development, Demisexual Character, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, In-character, Lore-Friendly, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Pining, Post-Canon, Post-Ending, Rarepair, Sensual Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, Strong Woman/Weak Man, Teb is adorable, Unrequited Love, and by slow i mean the speed of a glacier, awkward cuteness, breaks with gender stereotypes, come for the porn stay for the feels, mostly at least, non-clichee male character, romantic sex, soft and timid male character, strong female character, well Teb is not really weak but you get the idea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2018-12-19 17:56:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 159,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11903109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aescela/pseuds/Aescela
Summary: The corruption is cleared, the world saved, and Aloy finds herself feeling lost after having finally learned about her past. While she looks for a new purpose for her abilities, she meets an old friend - Teb the Stitcher.Deciding to accept an offer he makes her, Aloy finds herself discovering a path she had never dared to follow before...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my little take on a post-ending version of Aloy and Teb, a pairing that, in my opinion, has gotten way too little attention.
> 
> In a few quick words, here's my motivation to write this:  
> a) I adore the game and Aloy. This world needs more badass girls like her. I adore Teb too, since there is a dire need of weak-ish male characters as well.  
> b) I fully understand the game's aim to depict Aloy as a non-romantic female character, but I love the thought of her and Teb getting together. I'm trying to write this as in-character as possible. Let's see how it turns out.  
> c) Any kind of feedback is deeply appreciated. Enjoy!

I.

Aloy was lost.

Which was odd because as long as she could think, she had never quite been lost, at least not in the way she felt now. It was an unsettling sensation deep inside her, nothing she could solve with her tracking skills or the help of her focus that she still wore stubbornly on her right temple despite the danger of the ancient war machines being over and the peace in the realms of humans restored. She had even found what had turned out to be the closest she had to a mother, finally, after nineteen years of searching. The memory of Elisabet’s body, resting at peace in a triangle of flowers, had mended a wound in Aloy’s heart she had been carrying with her for as long as she could think. But now, that Aloy had found out about her past, she had trouble looking forward, it seemed.

 _Maybe that’s the problem_ , Aloy mused over the screeching roar of a Ravager as she dodged its lunge, spun around and smashed her spear against the machine’s head. _Maybe it’s because I’ve always had some impossible task to fulfill. Some corrupted monster to hunt down. Some world that demanded saving. And now that it’s saved I feel…_

The machine lay stunned on the ground and Aloy finished it with a stab to its core. Instinctively, she started searching it for resources, but after a moment of pulling out wires and sparkers she gave up. She was already more than well equipped and after what happened at the Spire, no merchant charged her for shards when she purchased something. There almost was no immediate need to hunt machines any more, most of them having turned docile after the restoration of GAIA and only very few ever turning hostile on sight, like the Ravager whose parts she didn’t even need.

… _useless_ , she finished in her head.

Aloy chided herself for her morose mood and instead went searching her kill for more valuable machine parts. Not that she needed them, but it was something familiar at least. The Ravager’s heart got destroyed during the fight, molten into its carcass due to Aloy’s preferred use of blast ammunition. She huffed and went for the head. The lens was still perfectly intact and a moment of focused fumbling about in the mess of cables and metal allowed her to remove it. She wrapped the lens into a piece of cloth and stored it carefully in her satchel.

Aloy stood next to the dead Ravager, letting the cool wind blowing in from the east dry the sweat on her brow. She closed her eyes at the sensation. Her hand went to a pouch on her belt to feel for the little pendant in the shape of the world she had found with Elisabet’s body, smooth and cool and comforting. Aloy tried to ignore the nagging voice at the back of her head that kept asking her what to do now, because she didn’t know the answer. She could keep going like she had for the better part of the summer now, travel and hunt down machines only to leave the carcasses behind barely looted, ask strangers if they needed any help and hastily leaving them again when they started to worship her as if she was the Goddess herself. Get spotted by a Sawtooth, bring it down, stare up at the stars and think about Rost, and Elisabet, get up and hunt. Rinse and repeat.

Elisabet would have wanted her to find a new path to follow, Aloy told herself, but that was harder than she had thought.

Distant voices drew her back from her brooding. When Aloy opened her eyes, she saw movement along the road following the river that meandered through the desert. A quick look with her focus revealed it to be friendly humans, no enemies. Since she didn’t have anything else to do, Aloy whisteled sharply and waited for a tame Broadhead to make its way to her. She attached her satchel to the machine and swung herself onto its back, dug her heels into the machine’s flanks and galloped towards the river.

The orange and light brown hues of the desert north of the lush jungles and dense forests of Meridian turned almost red in the evening sunshine, and the wind that rushed past her lost the day’s heat already. In a few hours, it would be nightfall.

 _Red light, the color of blood… Huh, that thought turned dark_ , she mused, allowing herself an amused smirk. A moment later Aloy could make out the shapes of the people that marched along the river, and even at this distance she could tell by the animal skin clothes and dreadlocks adorned with feathers that it was a group of Nora Braves. Aloy wasn’t sure if she felt pleasantly surprised at the familiar sight or not, still painfully reminded of the Nora’s attitude towards her before she turned out to be somehow important in the course of history. Still, she decided to stop and ask them if they needed any help.

A short talk later Aloy had learned that the Nora – a group of young hunters – were not yet on their way back to the Sacred Lands in the Embrace, unlike all the other warriors that had survived the fighting. Generally wary of everything foreign and not-Nora, they had followed Aloy into the battle, but warchief Sona and her troops had had no desire to linger after that, either.

“We want to hunt down one of those big machines, with guns all over”, one of the Braves announced. “For trophies to bring back to the Embrace.”

“A Ravager, you mean?” Aloy asked. “It fits the description. Guns all over.”

“Are they big?” another Nora hunter wanted to know.

“Like a Sawtooth, but heavily armed,” Aloy supplied.

“No, bigger! Like a house on two legs, that’s the trophies we’re after” the hunters insisted, and Aloy had to fight rolling her eyes. Boasting her kills had never been her motivation to hunt, but ever since entering the Hunters Lodge she knew for a great many people it was something like a hobby.

“A Thunderjaw, then. Are you sure you are up to it?”

“Have you killed one of them already, Anointed?”

Aloy winced when a young woman called her _Anointed_ , but decided to let it pass, tired of reminding people that it was unwanted, just like bows, kneeling or curtseys. “As it happens, I have.”

Trying to quench the chorus of questions and praise that followed, Aloy agreed to meet with the Nora Braves in two days, at the gates of Meridian, to hunt with them. It wasn’t that she had anything else to do, and sending the group of youngsters off to kill a Thunderjaw on their own was as good as shoving them down the next best cliff. So she agreed to help them.

 _At least I didn’t have to tell them I killed at least five Thunderjaws. Don’t even want to think about their reaction at that_ , she thought as she rode her Broadhead through the rising darkness to the west, towards Meridian. It was the only location the hunters knew by name in this region of the world, so Aloy had suggested it as meeting point.

 _They are all going back to the Embrace,_ she mused. _Soon, all Nora will be there again, in the Sacred Land. All but me. Not that I’ve ever felt welcome there in the first place._

She huffed. Aloy of the Nora? More like Aloy despite the Nora.

Should she go back to the Embrace? Besides visiting Rost’s grave, there was nothing that kept her there, and right now the pain was still too fresh to bring herself to make the journey. Sure, there were some nice people, like Matriarch Teersa, but she had her duties, and the other Matriarchs still changed between holding a grudge against Aloy for being born and dropping to their knees as soon as they caught sight, and Aloy wouldn’t have any of that. There was Varl, but he was always surrounded by a group of Braves that did the same as the Matriarchs. Not very inviting. Then there was Teb. Aloy blinked. Teb had always been nice company, but she didn’t even know if he still had his hut or if he had settled down somewhere else, if she was welcome. And as a Stitcher he would be in the centre of Mother’s Cradle, surrounded by tribe members. So much for that.

Aloy shook her head and spurred her Broadhead to a gallop. Where else was she to go?

Meridian. Everybody went to Meridian, anyway.

Maybe she could visit Erend, Aloy mused as the cold desert wind rushed past her, dust and stones kicked aside under the machine’s metal hooves. The towers of Meridian already poked out of the pink mist at the western horizon, where the last rays of the sun tinted the sky the color of ink and copper. If she rode the better part of the night, she might make it by dawn. After checking the large open mesa behind Lone Light for a Thunderjaw and actually seeing one patrolling the grounds, Aloy made a short stop to catch a rest. After a quick meal of turkey meat roasted on a hastily lit campfire and a short sleep under the stars, Aloy mounted the Broadhead again and continued her way. As expected, by dawn she had made it to Meridian.

Aloy had agreed with the Nora Braves to meet at the margins of the capital city that perched on the rocks like a Stormbird’s nest with its imposing towers and bridges, since nothing could bring the Nora to actually enter the town itself. _To build so tall is to invite the fate of the Ancients_ , warchief Sona had scoffed disapprovingly, and Aloy had quietly asked herself whether Sona meant it or whether she was secretly impressed by how much higher than a Nora hut even the simplest Carja warehouse was, and kept her comments to herself. Aloy still had a day’s worth of time before the meeting and was thankful for it, taking the chance to enter the town to deliver a small Banuk statue of a Grazer to a collector.

Making her way to the market where about everything that existed in the world could be bought, sold or traded against something else, Aloy passed a weapon stand, a resource supplier and the shy scholar that collected vessels of the Old Ones, giving him a short wave as she went by. She soon found the collector of Banuk artifacts. The collector was thrilled about the statue and paid her a generous amount of shards. Aloy didn’t know what to do with the payment, though. Not that she needed any. The amount of people offering her a shower of gifts every time she showed her face made her feel awkward and accepting them after getting shunned and looked down at before felt just wrong, so she tried to dodge every person calling out to her as “The chosen one!”, “The gift of the sun!” or “The Anointed!” while weaving her way through the crowd in the market.

Among all the all-but-shouted praise, Aloy flinched when she suddenly heard her actual name.

“Aloy!”

The voice was familiar.

Aloy spun around and scanned the crowd for the person that had called out for her, and couldn’t quite believe when she saw a young man in Nora clothing waving to her from a market stand.

“Teb?”

“Aloy, over here.”

Aloy elbowed through the crowd as politely as she could muster until she arrived at the stand. It was small compared to the other ones, but situated in a calm corner of the market, next to where the high walls opened up to a generous terrace overseeing the jungle below the city. Aloy instantly felt less fenced in than before in the throng, and the fresh wind blowing in from the open made her breathe more deeply. She slowed down, relaxing a little, and finally turned to the young man at the stand.

It was Teb the Stitcher, of all people. When Aloy came closer she realized he was selling Nora clothing, armor and attire, the familiar mixture of cured animal hides and machine parts, painted with blue patterns and decorated with clay beads and colorful feathers. Teb looked just like she remembered him from before, a shaved head except for some nut-brown dreadlocks on his crown and a blue tribal tattoo curving around one of his gentle, golden-green eyes, lean and slim, about half a head taller than her, still not wearing any heavy armor, just a simple sleeveless garment decorated with blue and red wires.

He greeted her with his familiar soft smile as she came closer, radiating excited surprise. “Hi, Aloy.”

“Teb, what are you doing here? I thought all other Nora had gone back to the Embrace already,” Aloy remarked.

Teb’s smile turned into something almost shy. “All but for me, it seems. And you, of course, if you want to count yourself.”

Aloy had to smirk despite herself, noticing Teb’s careful reluctance when including her in the term “Nora”. She appreciated it. “You are selling Nora armor?”

Teb nodded eagerly. “Ever since your work here at Meridian, the Carja attitude towards the Nora has improved a lot, you know. And since you are, well… erm…”

Teb hesitated, as if wanting to use a term that he knew Aloy wouldn’t like and now desperately trying to find something to say instead. Aloy had to smile, the first honest smile in weeks, she realized.

“ _The chosen one_? _The one the Goddess sent_?” she supplied sarcastically, but there was no spite behind her words, just humor. Teb certainly picked up on that and gave a short chuckle.

“… _Famous_ , I was about to say. You can’t argue with that.”

Aloy laughed. “Well, I guess I can’t.”

“Overall, due to your work here, Nora style has become incredibly fashionable. There is a high demand for armor, accessories and garments even among Meridian nobles, and me being, as they said, an authentic tribal artisan… I can barely keep up with the amount of customers! Of course I had to tweak the style a little here and there to make it suitable for this warm climate in the Sundom.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows in amazement. She had never thought her influence would actually turn the other tribes’ attitude towards the “feral savages of the east”, as they used to call the Nora, into something this positive. Now that Teb had told her, she spotted some Carja wearing Nora symbols and designs, one even sporting a headpiece made of Strider parts like she had herself. Seeing that warmed her heart in a way she had missed for a long time.

“That’s wonderful, Teb. I assumed none of the tribe members would actually enter the city.”

Teb smiled shyly at her compliment, but then a slow grin spread over his face. “To be honest, that’s the first thing I did when coming here. Browse the market for new materials. There’s still some I’ve never seen before every time I go looking.”

Now that he said it, Aloy remembered Teb mentioning his visit to the markets when they met before the battle, while the other Nora had immediately concentrated their forces at the Spire, carefully avoiding any contact with the Carja and expressing their distaste at having to spend time in their territory. Teb had been all but expressing his awe at all the new things surrounding him.

“Why didn’t you want to go back to the Embrace?” Aloy wanted to know.

At that, an odd look crossed Teb’s features, a shadow passing by behind his eyes. It was over as quick as it had come, and when he turned his head to gaze over the terrace, the jungle spread out like a sea of green waves below the red bricks and golden fences of the city under a rising sun, his expression turned almost wistful.

“There is such a big world, beyond the Embrace. It couldn’t be any more different from the Sacred Land, could it? Still, I… I wanted to see. I wanted to know more than what lies between Mother’s Cradle and the main gates. I know I’m not a Brave, and I thought my chance would never come to leave the valley, but now… It’s so _big_ , isn’t it?”

His voice turned so quiet it was almost a whisper at his last words, and he made a vague little gesture towards the horizon, as if trying and giving up to express his wonder upon seeing this new world. Aloy just smiled.

“I know what you feel like.”

Teb turned his gaze back on her and smiled back. “I’m sure you do, Aloy.”

There was a short pause, none of them speaking in comfortable silence as they stood and gazed out of the market stand into the vast land surrounding the heart of Carja territory, once an enemy, now an ally.

After a moment, Teb cleared his throat and spread his arms a little in a parody of a market pitchman. “Well, young lady, can I interest you in a new Nora gauntlet? They are the latest fashion! The one you are wearing looks like a Snapmaw has chewed it!”

Aloy laughed. “If you only knew how close to the truth that is, Teb.”

Teb’s expression turned worried and he looked her up and down. “A Snapmaw bit your arm?”

“A Glinthawk.”

Teb nodded, now honest concern in his eyes. “Joke aside, if you really want to keep your limbs you should let me repair your armor. That shoulder plate looks a little worse for wear, if you don’t mind me saying, and you could do with a new breastplate, honestly.”

Her armor had seen better days, Aloy had to admit. She always carried as many spare outfits with her as she could fit in her satchel, but her favored Nora Protector armor certainly looked like it had seen a fair share of almost-deaths.

“You would do that?”

Teb nodded, that gentle smile back in place. “Of course I would. I just need to finish this dress here, the customer wishes it done this evening. I’m lacking an essential piece, though, and I’m not sure where to get it.”

Teb gestured to a dress that looked like an elegant fusion of the avian Carja style, stylized feathers and flowing ribbons, and the more robust Nora style with fur and triangular patterns. He had managed to capture both designs and merged it into something new, Aloy acknowledged.

“It looks gorgeous. What are you lacking to finish it?”

“Something quite rare, I’m afraid. A Ravager lens. The Hunters Lodge merchants don’t have any, and I’d rather grow wings and fly than going out to kill a Ravager myself,” Teb admitted quietly.

“Well, as it happens, I have one,” Aloy said, setting down her satchel that she had carried on her back.

Teb’s soft green eyes went wide with surprise. “A Ravager lens? Really?”

Aloy rummaged around in her satchel and handed Teb the bundle of cloth that he carefully took from her. He unwrapped it and inspected the lens by holding it into the sunlight.

“It’s in perfect condition. Aloy, this is just what I need! Do you think you would sell it to me?”

Aloy huffed. “I don’t want any shards from you, Teb. Just keep it.”

Teb’s soft eyes settled on her once more, searching her. “Are you sure? You are just giving this to me?”

Aloy shrugged. “Believe me, I have more resources to craft ammunition than I would ever need. People drown me in free goods.”

Teb nodded, understanding in his gaze. “After shunning you for the better part of your life before you turned out to be useful, huh?”

“Yep.”

“I see.” He carefully set the lens on his working bench next to the dress. “Well, if you don’t want any payment, would you instead do me the honor to share dinner with me this evening?”

“Of course. I’d very much like to,” Aloy heard herself say, and found that she meant it when he smiled widely.

Her visit to Meridian had turned out to be a better idea than she had anticipated, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

II.

After spending the day roaming the market and paying a visit to Talanah at the Hunters Lodge to get the newest gossip on large machine sightings, herd movements and new weapons, Aloy returned to Teb’s little market stand in the late afternoon.

He had embedded the Ravager lens into the centerpiece of the dress he was working on, she noticed, wrapped in elegant copper braids and surrounded by a semicircle of metal feathers. Aloy exchanged a greeting and a smile with Teb, then sat down on one of his benches in the fresh wind drifting over from the jungle and watched him work. His hands, slender and clean, moved with a speed and confidence that made it fascinating to follow. It didn’t take him long to finish the last touches, and shortly after he was done, his customer arrived.

Aloy politely retreated back to the edge of terrace to avoid having to converse with the noble, but watched as she praised Teb for his work and handed over his payment. When she had left, Aloy returned to Teb’s side and was surprised to see his elegant brows knitted together in concern.

“What’s wrong, Teb? She seemed to have been thrilled with it.”

“She was,” Teb confirmed reluctantly. “It’s just… Oh, never mind. Let’s call it a day, then? I could do with some food.”

Aloy frowned upon his hesitance, but didn’t press him to say more. Teb moved to close the stand, but then stopped. He turned back to Aloy, something insecure in his gaze as if he was trying to ask something and unsure how to phrase it. Eventually, he spoke, if quietly.

“Would you… I was told you have an apartment here, in Meridian. Would you prefer me to bring the food over? And about your armor…”

Teb was reluctant to invite her over to his place, Aloy realized, as if scared he was being overly obtrusive or offering something she would disapprove of. In a way he was right, she did avoid staying at places that didn’t belong to her if she could, but this situation… felt different, for some reason. Aloy cast a short look over to where Olin’s old apartment was, now empty, reserved for her. It had never felt like home to her, anyway.

“My apartment is over there, on the other side of the market,” she supplied when she noticed Teb’s questioning glance.

“The one with the throng of people waiting outside to catch a glimpse of you as soon as you enter?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Yep.”

“How about we eat at my place, then?” Teb ventured carefully.

“After you, Teb.”

Teb grinned and closed the stand, gathered his earnings and led Aloy away from the crowd at the market. After a short walk through relatively empty alleyways, she found out Teb had rented a small place close to the market, but situated in a way that shielded them from the city’s bristling voices, only the wind howling over the edges of the valley and Meridian’s noise reduced to a faint hum behind them. It was surprisingly quiet.

Aloy followed Teb up a short flight of stairs into a small apartment dominated mostly by a Stitcher’s workshop, animal skins and machine parts piled high among neatly arranged clothes and boxes with thread and feathers. There was a small kitchen next to where Teb slept on a surprisingly large bed. A curtain covered a narrow cabinet with a washbowl and soap. The balcony overlooked the jungle valley and the lake on the coast of the mesa, the towers of Blazon Arch and Kestrel’s Perch just barely visible on the other side of the water. Teb’s place smelled pleasantly of warm leather and herbs, and the open balcony front let in enough fresh air to not make Aloy feel like she was fenced in.

She decided that she liked it.

“Well, it’s not much, but… make yourself at home,” Teb said, bustling over to a fireplace to start a fire and get cooking. Aloy winced at the mention of “home”, but decided to just settle down and enjoy the fresh air for a bit. He started to cook, and left Aloy to sit at the open balcony. She basked in the late sunshine and gentle breeze while the scent of food wafted over to her, and felt herself relaxing for the first time in weeks. Apart from an occasional comment, Teb was quiet, and Aloy found herself enjoying the companionable silence. When she looked over, she saw Teb stirring a pan of what looked like fried vegetables. He poured a yellow powder she could not identify into a pot and whisked until it became a smooth cream, then spread it out on a plate to place it on a low table near her.

Teb gestured Aloy to sit on a pillow on the carpet and prepared a plate of fried vegetables for her, topped off with a slice of the yellow mass that had somehow turned into something like a flat cake.

“What is this?” she wanted to know, sniffing at her food. It smelled foreign, like a walk across the market in the Meridian village, but enticing. Her stomach grumbled.

Teb smiled. “It’s a Carja dish. Roasted maize powder turned into a flatbread. They call it _polenta_. And vegetables from the market.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows. “No meat?”

Teb’s face morphed into the epitome of genuine concern. “I’m afraid not today. Apparently Carja eat greens and fruit from their fields most days and meat only every now and then. Oh, if you had seen the tantrum the Nora warriors had thrown when offered this kind of meatless food,” he said with a careful little smile. “Uh… I think I can still get some meat when I go to the market right now…”

“You don’t have to, Teb. I don’t mind at all. This smells delicious, actually,” Aloy hurried to reassure him. She knew Nora diet consisted mostly of meat, the more fatty the better, to brace one against biting frost and daylong hunts. What Teb had prepared seemed more suited to warm weather, and Aloy found it a welcoming change from dried boar and charred turkey.

Teb looked incredibly relieved. “Good. Enjoy, then.”

Aloy tentatively tried a bite of the maize and found it to be surprisingly good. She eagerly dug into her food, vaguely aware of Teb watching her eat with a satisfied expression before he ate himself. When she had finished her plate he filled it once more for her without asking, as if he could tell how hungry she was.

“You seem to adapt well to the Carja culture, Teb,” Aloy remarked between two bites of polenta.

Teb swallowed and nodded. “It’s a bit tricky, here and there. But I don’t mind trying something new every now and then. It’s a nice change from getting stuck in old ways,” he commented idly, and Aloy found she couldn’t agree more.

“I’m glad you think that way.”

Teb answered that with a shy smile and took her empty plate. He replaced it with a bowl of fruits, some of which Aloy had already noticed in the margins of the jungle surrounding the villages at the foot of Meridian, and she asked if he had picked them himself.

“I… I’m afraid not,” Teb answered carefully over his shoulder while cleaning up the dishes. “There was word of machines like slender Sawtooths that can turn invisible and shoot you before you even know they’re there, so… I bought the fruits. Haven’t seen much of the jungle yet, sadly.”

Aloy nodded. “Stalkers. They are nasty, but nothing one couldn’t get past with a few tripwires.”

Teb chuckled, his eyes glittering with honest admiration. “I’m sure you’d have no problem at all, Aloy. My talents are elsewhere, however.”

“About that,” Aloy said, nodding to his workbenches. “Would it be too much to ask of you if you could take a look at the worst of the damage of my armor this evening? I’m planning to go hunting tomorrow.”

To her delight, Teb shook his head and gestured to his workshop. “No problem whatsoever. Please, go ahead and show me the damaged parts. I’ll see what I can do.”

With that, Aloy went to the nearest workbench and shed most parts of her armor while Teb finished cleaning up the dishes. As she removed her back plate, she saw it had a large gash in the middle, most likely from the Ravager she had fought earlier. Frowning, she ran her hands across the crack in the metal. After the rebooting of GAIA, most machines had turned much more docile, but the remaining predatorial machines still attacked if provoked.

Aloy removed the last parts of her armor, her heavy belt with the ropes and ammo pouches and set it on the bench. Only wearing a thin tunic and pants made of soft leather and wool, she noticed a faint movement from her left and saw Teb looking over from the fireplace, his eyes firmly fixed on her hip.

Aloy raised an eyebrow at his stare. If it was anyone but Teb, from whom she was used to timid, gentle behavior, she would expect that kind of stare to be followed by a dirty comment on her physique. She would be surprised if that happened with Teb as well.

 “Anything wrong?” she asked warily.

“Luckily not,” Teb answered calmly. “But those claws could have easily cut more than just cloth.”

He pointed to her hip, and Aloy looked down her body. She was surprised to see three parallel gashes parting the cloth of her tunic. Half an inch deeper and the claws of the machine would have sliced her right open.

She chided herself inwardly for suspecting Teb to act like some lonely outlander trying to undress her with his eyes when he was only expressing his concern.

“Oh. I… haven’t even seen that. Must have happened with the Ravager.”

Teb did something almost like an unbelieving headshake, but then one corner of his lips quirked up. “High time I take a look at your equipment, don’t you think?”

Aloy smirked back. “High time.”

Teb trotted over to her to inspect the damaged armor parts Aloy had deposited on his bench. Picking them up and turning them over, he hummed to himself, then set them down to choose some spare parts from a shelf. He held them up in front of Aloy to see if they would fit while arranging wires and thread in a pretty bright blue that Aloy would have chosen herself as well.

“I think if I start right now I can have it ready by tomorrow… Well, if it wasn’t for that other dress… Oh well,” Teb muttered to himself. Aloy noticed his glance moving to an unfinished dress much like the one he had sold today, and suddenly remembered Teb’s strange worried mood just after the client had paid him. Aloy decided to inquire.

“Teb, was there something wrong with the noble woman you made the dress with the Ravager lens for? She seemed happy about the result.”

Teb shot her a short glance, stared at his feet and sighed. He seemed to make a decision, then spoke.

“She was thrilled. Thrilled enough to ask for another dress for her daughter. More Nora-style this time, and with a _Thunderjaw_ lens as centerpiece. All-Mother, how am I supposed to get one of those? The Lodge hasn’t killed a Thunderjaw in weeks and if they do they keep the trophies for themselves!”

Teb looked so genuinely worried that Aloy couldn’t resist laying a hand on his bare arm to comfort him, something she normally avoided if she could. The touch made his head snap up to meet her eyes, and she hurried to explain herself.

“As it happens, I’m meeting with some Nora Braves tomorrow to hunt a Thunderjaw. They stayed long enough to hunt for some trophies to boast once they’re back home and I’m not inclined to let them walk right to their deaths. If you want, I’ll make sure to keep the lens intact and bring it back to you.”

Teb blinked. “Aloy, you have no idea how happy that would make me. However, I couldn’t ever forgive myself if something happened to you because of that. Allow me to fully repair your armor tonight, if only to make me feel like I didn’t just sent you off to become Thunderjaw breakfast.”

Aloy grinned. “Sounds like a good deal to me.”

Teb’s smile was genuinely thankful, and Aloy was once more amazed by his willingness to do his outmost to help her. He immediately started working on her armor, replacing broken and damaged plates with new ones, exchanging fractured wires and stitching up holes in the leather. While he worked, Aloy sat next to him on a bench, nibbling on a strange green fruit that turned out to be sweet as honey and just as sticky.

“How about this color?” Teb wanted to know, holding up a metal piece in white with turquoise markings that seemed to have belonged to a Longleg once.

“Nice. But… Unusual using Longleg parts, isn’t it? Their plates are quite thin”, Aloy commented.

“They are,” Teb agreed, “But I learned the Carja have found a way to cut and fold them a few times, which makes them incredibly stable and durable, more so than using massive steel while keeping the light weight. You’ll feel light as a hawk while wearing them.”

Aloy, licking fruit juice from her thumb, smiled at the thought of a Nora Stitcher exchanging craftsmanship knowledge with a Carja artisan. “Go ahead then. Not gonna tell a master how to do his craft.”

Teb blushed like a young girl getting a compliment. Obviously encouraged, he went about completing the armor while the moon rose outside. Aloy set up some candles and oil lamps for him to work, and by nighttime he was almost finished.

Teb gestured to the lacerated tunic Aloy was still wearing.

“About that… Would you… I mean…?” he started, blushing heavily once more. Aloy frowned as she tried to understand his behavior, and then realized it must have been because of the necessity for her to take the garment off in order to repair it, and Teb seemed to be very well able to imagine that she wore nothing under it but her skin.

“Would you repair that as well?” Aloy asked. Teb stared at her like a startled Strider.

“I… I would never… I mean I could repair it, yes, but…”

Aloy smiled in a way that she hoped looked reassuring to let him know he had not offended her in any way. It was _not_ like he had asked her to undress sporting a dirty grin, like certain other men had done when meeting her. Teb’s gentle innocence was a refreshing change from the treatment she had had to get used to.

“Listen, Teb. How about you give me some kind of garment to change into and then turn around so I can give you the tunic?”

Relieved, Teb nodded, obviously glad he had managed to not appear obtrusive. “Just pick one from the piles over there. I’ll get my needles ready. Your tunic is fawn leather, isn’t it? I should have just the matching color over here…”

He made a vague gesture to a number of shelves with several piles of clothing before he went about searching his supplies for needle and thread. Aloy turned and went over to the piles. She was barely able to tell the color of the garments in the dim light, but not how big they were, let alone whether they were fit for males or females. Not wanting to let Teb wait, she simply plucked something from a random pile and took off her tunic, shivering when the cool night air touched her bare skin. She quickly slipped the borrowed garment over her head, which turned out to be a slightly too large, sleeveless tunic, but soft and comfortable, and it covered her otherwise naked upper body sufficiently.

Aloy went back to Teb to hand him her damaged tunic. Upon turning around, his eyes went wide.

“Uh, Aloy… That’s one of my own tunics you’re wearing. I mean, I don’t mind, but I had assumed you would want to put on something new and clean, maybe fit for a girl and unworn…”

If it wasn’t this dim in his candle-lit apartment, Aloy was sure she would have seen his blush darkening.

“It’s fine, Teb. Really. If you don’t mind me wearing it. Now take my tunic and fix the gashes, would you?” she asked him with an amused smile. Instead of an answer, Teb carefully took her tunic from her hands and went to work.

After a while or sewing with quick hands, he made a pause to yawn, and Aloy couldn’t help but mirror it.

“Tired as well?” he asked quietly. Aloy nodded. Teb focused on his work again, and said, seemingly without really thinking about it: “If you’re going to walk back to sleep at your place, take some of the fruits with you if you want. You seemed to like them.”

Aloy blinked, then glanced down at herself.

“Walk back to my apartment?” she repeated, raising one eyebrow.

Teb looked up. “Yes…?”

“In my underwear?” Aloy ventured sarcastically, and grinned when she could see realization dawning on Teb’s face.

“Oh, well. Yes, I see. What… were you planning to do? Sleep here…?”

Teb’s voice had the habit of gradually turning quieter when he was intimidated or insecure about what he said, and right now his last words slowly verged into a barely audible murmur. Aloy understood them, though, and hurried to reassure him. She normally hated overusing anyone’s hospitality, but she doubted Teb would mind her staying the night.

“I just need a blanket and an empty corner on the floor, that’s all. If you don’t mind”, she suggested.

“That’s where I’m going to sleep,” Teb insisted, knotting the yarn on the second tear. “You can take my bed.”

Aloy shook her head. “No, thank you. Really. I’m not used to soft mattresses. I sleep under the open sky anyway, most nights. Keep your bed. I take the floor.”

“I…” Teb started to say, but broke off when he saw Aloy’s determined look. He smiled. “Alright, fine. But let me give you a pillow at least.”

Teb showed her the tunic, two of the three gashes stitched so finely that she could barely see the thread. “I’ll finish the last tear tomorrow,” he promised as he set it aside to fetch a woolen blanket from a shelf for Aloy.

They both got ready for sleep, Teb curled up like a fox in the middle of his bed and Aloy on a blanket close to the balcony. She could see the open sky from here and spent some time watching the clouds pass by the moon, listening to the soft rhythm of Teb’s breathing as he fell asleep. The tunic she had borrowed from him seemed not dirty or sweaty, which had made her wonder why he was so reluctant to let her wear it, but when she wrapped herself into the soft cloth she noticed that he had at least worn it a few times. The tunic smelled subtly of warm leather, beeswax and herbs, and a part of Aloy wondered if that was Teb’s natural scent. It was quite pleasant, she found as she slowly drifted off to sleep, anticipating the hunt the next day with a feeling of excitement she hadn’t felt in a long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be away for two weeks, and I'm nor sure if my hostel has internet. If yes, the next chapter will be up before my return, if not... well, after that, around 9th september. In any case, I'm very much enjoying these two and I will certainly continue with this fic. See you then!


	3. Chapter 3

III.

Aloy woke up to the sound of scissors cutting something. Drowsily she raised her head, blinking in the early sunshine floating in through the balcony.

“Good morning”, Teb said, smiling when Aloy yawned against the back of her hand. “Slept well?”

Aloy nodded and sat up to see what he was doing. Teb, sitting barefoot on a stool in front of his workbench, was cutting a patch of hazel brown leather into an oval shape and placed it on the side of her tunic where the tears used to be. Then he attached it with needle and blue thread, making a neat zig-zag pattern as he sewed.

“Almost finished,” he informed her. “Breakfast is over there.”

Aloy followed the line of Teb’s pointing finger to a table with a platter of fresh bread, boiled maize and berries. She got up and helped herself to some food while Teb kept working on her tunic.

“Looks like you’re doing more than mending the tears,” Aloy commented between two bites of maize. Teb winced.

“Uh, yes, I am. If that’s alright with you. I noticed your belt would chafe the leather of the tunic thin around your hips, so I added these patches here to reinforce the fabric and make it more comfortable to wear. I hope you like it,” he said, sounding almost apologetic. He handed the tunic over for her to see.

Aloy got up, eager to try it on. She started pulling the seam of Teb’s borrowed shirt over her head to take it off, and had to suppress a laugh when Teb hastily spun around to avert his gaze faster than a startled fish.

Aloy slipped her mended tunic on. The additional patches were attached with decorative blue yarn in a symmetrical fashion that seemed to follow the lines of her muscles and hipbones perfectly. She really wondered how he had managed to make it fit this well.

“Do you like it?” Teb asked without turning around.

Aloy smiled. “I do. You can look now, I’m all covered.”

Teb did as she asked, looking her over approvingly. Nodding to himself, seemingly satisfied with how his work had turned out, he sat down at the table and picked up breakfast himself. They continued eating for a while, listening to the slowly rising murmur of Meridian’s noise outside.

“What… what have you been doing, after the battle?” Teb asked eventually. “Besides getting your old spear back, I mean.”

Aloy’s lips twitched into a smile. So he had noticed her other spear missing. It was still stuck in HADES’ dead core, like a monument of victory, and she had not dared to take it out, instead retrieving her old spear.

“I have been looking for my mother,” Aloy said, hoping that she could answer his question without confusing him. The mystery around GAIA and Elisabet was something she herself barely understood, let alone other people that had never been in touch with technology of the Ancients.

Teb nodded thoughtfully. “Have you found her? I thought that… That All-Mother had created you, somehow. At least that’s what the others were saying, but I doubt it’s that simple, isn’t it?”

Aloy huffed. “You’re right, it’s not that simple. I… I had a mother, in a way. But she is long dead. I found her grave, and she left messages behind. I know she died in peace, trying to make the world a better place. GAIA… I mean, All-Mother brought her back through me so I could finish what she started.”

Teb’s gaze was holding hers, as if looking for things she couldn’t explain with words to spare her from doing so. “What was her name?”

“… Elisabet Sobek,” Aloy said eventually. It was the first time she spoke about her mother to another person. Something in Teb’s presence told her she could trust him with this, since he would not pressure her to tell him more than she was willing to do.

Teb nodded slowly. “I’m sure Elisabet would have been beyond proud of you.”

Aloy’s smile wavered around the edges, her chest tightening. His words sounded so heartfelt that she had to stare at her hands in her lap.

“Thank you.”

Teb didn’t answer, he just smiled softly. Eventually, he asked: “What are you doing now?”

Aloy frowned. Now that was something thinking about still caused her trouble. Small steps, she reminded herself. One after the other, until the path is found, like scouting in a forest by night.

“Well, for now, I’m going to hunt a Thunderjaw and harvest its lens. Not sure what to do then.”

Teb got up. “Alright. Your armor is finished. I’m curious to know how it felt in battle. Don’t hesitate to tell me should there be any weaknesses to improve. I… I’m pretty sure there aren’t any, though,” he added quickly.

Aloy got up and put on her armor piece by piece. Teb had kept it Nora style, robust and patchy, but with a noticeable influence of his newly-adapted Carja knowledge, some plates folded and bent like paper lanterns, much lighter than massive steel. When she was done, she did a few little jumps in place, admiring how little noise the plates made when moving compared to its status before.

“So far it feels great. Thank you, Teb.”

Teb’s gentle grin spread over his face. “Thank me after returning safely.”

“I will. By evening I should be back.”

Aloy gathered her weapons, bid him goodbye and left the apartment. She made her way through the market past Teb’s stand, still closed, over the long imposing bridge that led out of Meridian.

In front of the main gates, the group of Nora hunters waited for her as promised, weapons ready. Upon seeing Aloy, they rushed towards her excitedly. Aloy warded off their questions and chattering by reminding them to focus on the hunt – really, some of them were older than her and shouldn’t need reminding – and finally whistled for a mount.

A Charger came trotting towards her, turning its flank so Aloy could attach her satchel to the machine. She explained her strategy to the hunters, which mainly revolved around her sneaking around the Thunderjaw to place tripwires and traps first before luring it in towards the waiting hunters, so the others could tear off its guns to reveal its weak spots just before it stepped into the prepared traps. Just before she was done explaining, Aloy saw a figure jogging over the bridge from the corner of her eye.

“… and then Sahy will aim for the core, which will hopefully be revealed by then,” Aloy explained to Sahy, who nodded. “… and then Talan here will… _Teb_?”

The figure had managed to catch up to them, and it turned out it was Teb. He came to stand by the group of Braves in front of Aloy, catching his breath. Suddenly realizing he was being scrutinized by the other Nora, his expression turned careful and he visibly shrunk in on himself.

“Teb, is anything wrong?” Aloy asked.

“Aloy! Uh… You forgot your tearblast arrows. I wasn’t sure whether you needed them, so…”

He halted in his speech after getting gradually quieter, and held up a quiver with purple arrows. One of the Braves stepped in front of Aloy before she could react.

“So here’s where you’ve holed up, huh? We were already asking ourselves where you’ve hidden during the battle. The Stitcher that joined the war party, hah! Too fancy to return to the Sacred Land, are we?” Talan sneered, and another Brave stepped forward to pitch in.

“First of all, that’s _The Anointed_ , Teb. Show some respect to her. Secondly, what do you know about ammunition, huh? You’re just a Stitcher.”

It was clearly meant as an insult, but Aloy was surprised to see that it didn’t seem to affect Teb at all.

“I know, Talan. I’m not a Brave. Never been good with weapons. I just thought Aloy might need these. I apologize if I’m wrong. She doesn’t like being called _Anointed_ , by the way.”

Talan looked like a Broadhead caught in a shockwire. It took him a moment to regain his footing, and Aloy had to bite her tongue to avoid laughing.

“You… You’re a weakling. Leave the hunt to the big guys, will you? Get back to your dresses and needles and stop pestering the Anointed.”

“You are certainly much stronger than me, Talan, that’s out of the question. Aloy, do you need these arrows or not? If not I’ll gladly keep them safe for you until you return,” Teb said calmly, turning his attention to Aloy.

Talan, now obviously thrown completely out of balance, swiveled his head around to Aloy, who stepped past him as casually as she could muster.

“As it happens, these tearblast arrows are just what we need to strip the Thunderjaw of its guns and armor plates. Which is what most of you will do, if you remember our strategy. Thank you, Teb. That was very thoughtful of you”, Aloy said, trying to sound as calm as Teb had before, and shot him a conspiratorial little wink that nobody but him could see. He blushed, and one of the corners of his mouth twitched into a careful smile.

She accepted the arrows from Teb and distributed them among the other Braves, who held their tongues now, eyeing Teb warily who stood to the side as if nothing had happened. As discussed, Aloy mounted the Charger and led the Nora Braves away from Meridian, towards the mesa. When she turned around once more, she could see Teb’s slender form looking after them until they passed around a corner, and he disappeared from view behind a thicket of jungle plants.

Trying to focus on the task ahead, Aloy ignored the excited chattering from the Braves as they went through the hunting strategy again a few times. They would make it, she was sure. They were young and a little overzealous, but experienced and so eager to kill the Thunderjaw that she was certain they would stick to what they had discussed.

While she was focusing on her own mental preparation, the looming figure of the Thunderjaw already visible in her focus even at this distance, Teb’s reaction to Talan’s attempted insult kept floating back into her mind.

Every other man Aloy knew would have retorted such a verbal assault with at least some kind of threat to defend his honor. Or simply outright violence in form of a very large weapon, Aloy mused, thinking of her Oseram companions.

Teb, on the other hand…

He seemed perfectly at ease with his status as Stitcher. It was a profession held mostly by females, Teb being the only male Stitcher Aloy knew. Positions of power were mostly fulfilled by women among the Nora, like the Matriarchs or the warchief, and the amount of females among Braves and hunters in the tribe was generally as large as the amount of males. Males who didn’t become hunters served the tribe as gatherers and builders. The position of Stitchers, though, was usually occupied by mothers or elderly women that didn’t fight anymore. Aloy assumed Teb must have failed some trials essential for becoming a hunter and earning the title of Brave. She was not sure whether he had run in the Proving and even less sure if she could ask him about it without offending him.

His reaction to Talan’s attempt at mocking him, seemingly not only aware of his lesser strength but also acceptant of it, had impressed Aloy much more than if he had reacted provoked, she had to admit to herself. There was something refreshingly realistic about Teb’s attitude; she remembered one of the first things he told her when they met again for the first time in more than ten years, during the Proving, was that he hadn’t turned out to be much of a hunter. There hadn’t been a hint of regret or shame in his voice. His slender physique was how it was, and when he still attempted to fight when the situation required it, even risking his health for the cause, to Aloy it seemed more admirable than when a seasoned fighter had agreed to help.

 _Teb certainly knows where his talents are_ , Aloy thought as she came to realize how comfortably her improved tunic felt around her waist even when she spurred the Charger to a wild gallop. The mesa came into view, and the Braves fell behind, fanning out as they had discussed before.

The massive bulk of the Thunderjaw made the ground shake with its footsteps and caused little clouds of dust to emerge from under its talons with every heavy step, still unaware of the hunting party closing a circle around it, hidden in tall grass. Aloy left her Charger behind a rocky outcrop and pulled out her tripcaster.

_Time to set up the traps._

When the first tearblast arrows flew and the powerful explosions of air tore off the right disclauncher from the Thunderjaw, eliciting an enraged roar, and the Nora Braves closed in on the large beast, Aloy suddenly remembered something important she had almost forgotten. Trying to make herself understood, she yelled:

“Avoid the head! Don’t shoot the eye!“

The Thunderjaw charged.

-

It took them almost an hour to bring down the machine, but they made it without major injuries besides scratches and a few bruised ribs that would heal on their own. Aloy was in mint condition due to her improved armor, and she was looking forward to tell Teb as such when coming back.

Talan, Sahy and the two other Nora picked their trophies from the carcass of the Thunderjaw, including the heart that had luckily survived the onslaught, a large machine core, a braiding and a disc from the disclauncher. When Aloy claimed the lens for herself, none of the others protested. She carefully cut it out from the mass of wires and metal it was embedded in, gently prying away the suspenders until the lens came free. She made sure to apply much less force than she usually did when harvesting machine parts to keep the lens as flawless as possible. When the lens dropped into her palms, Aloy held the light blue, transparent object in front of the sun to check it for cracks, satisfied when it turned out to be in perfect condition.

Teb would be thrilled to see this.

Filled with a warm feeling of contentment that almost surprised her a little, Aloy couldn’t help the smile spreading on her face in anticipation as she wrapped the lens in a cloth. Turning back to the carcass once more, she noticed the dark red patterns on its forehead. It was the nexus, she knew from her focus, an important weak point but hard to hit. A well-placed arrow from Sahy had cracked the nexus, and some shards lay scattered about in the sand. Aloy picked up a shard and held it up, surprised by the beautiful red color, like a crystal splinter. Following an impulse, Aloy picked up some of the nexus shards and wrapped them in cloth as well. Maybe Teb could turn them into something pretty.

“That was amazing, Anointed!” Sahy exclaimed as Aloy led the Charger back to the group of hunters. Aloy rolled her eyes, for once too content with her kill to correct the other girl.

“You did well,” she admitted, addressing the group. “Where are you going now?”

“Back to the Embrace, Anointed. Again, thank you for your help,” one of the hunters said. “Where are you going?”

“To Meridian. I have an errand to deliver,” Aloy answered, oddly satisfied that she actually had an answer. “If you get back to Mother’s Cradle, please greet High Matriarch Teersa from me.”

The Nora bid her farewell, and they parted ways at the former bandit camp south of Lone Light. The little hunting party went off to the east, and Aloy mounted her Charger, turning the machine’s head towards the west. She clicked her tongue and pressed her thighs into the Charger’s flanks until it settled in a bumpy trot. The early afternoon sun burned down on Aloy’s skin and she was thankful once more for every ounce of metal Teb had reduced her armor’s weight by. She drank some water from a flask, watching the desert to her right and the steep slope of the valley with the jungle below to her left pass by. She had promised to return by evening and was more than confident that she would make it in time. It couldn’t hurt to take it a little more slowly, Aloy mused, allowing the Charger to settle for an easier stride. She used the opportunity to fetch herself a fruit from her satchel, enjoying the sweet juice when she bit into it.

The faint clatter of rocks pushed aside was the only warning she got.

Something smashed into the Charger’s side, tossing Aloy from its back like a ragdoll. She curled up instinctively to protect her head, rolled and immediately leapt up with a poised arrow as soon as she regained her footing.

An injured Sawtooth attacked her Charger, sparks flying when the machines clashed. It seemed to have been already startled and damaged, otherwise she could not explain why it had attacked out of nowhere. Aloy sent a fire arrow into the machine’s blaze canister, hoping it would explode and incapacitate the Sawtooth. She nocked a hardpoint arrow, aiming for the machine’s head.

The Charger attacked once more, jumping right into Aloy’s line of view, spinning and kicking wildly as it attempted to defend itself against the Sawtooth, which, in turn, lunged and smashed all its massive weight into the smaller machine. The Charger was flung back into Aloy before she could roll aside, and together they tumbled down the slope next to the narrow path.

There was a mess of blue sky and sandy rocks turning about the other as Aloy rolled down the slope, pain and bruises and her trying as hard as she could not to hurt her head, and finally cold enveloping her as she plunged into water.

It took a moment for Aloy to come back to her senses, and when she did she hurried to swim to the surface, gasping for air. She paddled to the shore, dimly aware of the roar of the Sawtooth echoing through the valley from the ridge above where she fell down, the machine unable to follow.

 _Alive and safe. Wet, and bruised, but safe_ , she told herself as she flopped down on a rock next to the river. Her armor had kept her from anything more serious than aching muscles, luckily. After a moment of just breathing and waiting for her head to stop spinning, Aloy looked around herself for her Charger. She spotted the machine a few steps further down the river. When she walked up to it, she realized it was dead, some last sad sparks seeping out of the carcass. Sighing, Aloy went searching it for her satchel.

The Charger had rolled onto her satchel, and Aloy gritted her teeth and grunted in effort to push the carcass up enough to retrieve the bag. She rummaged through it for her potions and drank a sip to prevent any injuries from worsening. Then, she suddenly remembered the Thunderjaw lens she had promised Teb.

“Oh no, the lens…” Aloy muttered to herself, carefully taking the bundle of cloth from her bag. “Please, be whole…”

She held her breath as she unwrapped the bundle.

The lens was shattered.


	4. Chapter 4

IV.

The afternoon sun crept relentlessly towards the horizon, and Aloy cursed it inwardly for every finger’s breadth it sank further.

The desert already got tinted a misty orange hue as the sun went down, and Aloy knew with every passing second that she would be late.

She was determined not to return with empty hands. Digging her heels into the Broadhead’s flanks, she spurred it once more, galloping through the rocky sand. She steered her mount around a jagged outcrop, over a mesa and through a field of sturdy, spiky plants the Carja referred to as _cactus_ , checking her direction by staring at the rising stars. She was heading north, vaguely remembering some hunter’s rumor from her stay in the Lodge that there had been a Thunderjaw sighting on the hillside behind Lone Light, towards Sun Steps. It was quite a distance and Aloy could already feel her mount getting exhausted, but she forced it forward nonetheless.

_I need a new Thunderjaw lens. I promised Teb to bring him one, and I won’t break my promise._

She was not sure about her promise to return before nightfall, though. Determined, she brought the Broadhead to a stop and scanned the area with her focus, satisfied when the bulky silhouette of a Thunderjaw marched through her field of vision behind the next rocky slope.

Aloy hopped off, getting her tripcaster ready.

It took her less than half an hour to bring the beast down. She didn’t have to watch out for a bunch of young Braves not to get themselves killed, and the strategy and behavior to use to get the colossal machine down was still fresh in her mind. Tripwires to keep it occupied for her to tear off its guns with blast arrows, rip off the plates on its flank and bomb its core with her blast sling, all the while trying not to get trampled or hit the head with the precious lens. It was completely dark when the Thunderjaw fell, and she immediately ran towards its head to search for the lens.

“Please be intact, please…” Aloy muttered to herself as she gently pried for the eye of the machine. She could barely see what she was doing. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she whistled for her Broadhead. The docile machine came trotting close, expecting to be mounted, and Aloy used its bright blue glowing headlight to illuminate the Thunderjaw’s head. Soon, she had pried open the centre of the eye and carefully removed the lens.

Holding her breath, she held it in front of the Broadhead’s light. Aloy wasn’t sure she had enough strength in her to hunt down a third Thunderjaw should this one be broken as well.

The lens was whole, and she let out a small laugh of relief. This time, Aloy wrapped the lens in three layers of cloth, just to be sure, and attached the satchel to her back instead of her mount’s flank. She pulled herself on the Broadhead and turned it to the west, back to Meridian. She knew she would be horribly late, but she knew Teb needed the lens to complete the dress for his noble customer. Aloy had always disapproved of the animosities between the tribes, especially Carja and Nora and their strained attitude towards the other, and thus she deeply appreciated Teb’s actions. He was bridging a gap between their cultures, and be it only in small things he did by creating clothing influenced by both styles, because with that he smoothed the way for something that might become a peaceful, open relationship between the Sundom and the Embrace. Aloy was determined to help it happen, and right now she would try to deliver the lens as fast as she could.

Aloy rode until she lost her feeling of time, the moon hidden behind a shroud of clouds. It must have been after midnight when she crossed the main bridge to Meridian.

She was dead on her feet when she dragged herself up the short flight of steps to Teb’s apartment, still trying to be quiet should he be sleeping. Aloy was surprised when she saw light shining out from the balcony.

When she entered, she spotted Teb sitting at his workbench. He was awake and turned a needle over in his hands, staring into empty air with knitted brows. He heard her footsteps and his head jerked up.

“Aloy!”

Teb jumped up as soon as he realized it was her and came rushing towards her. There was a mess of emotions warring for dominance on his face, happiness, worry and endless relief.

“Where have you been? Did something go wrong, are you hurt?” he said, stopping just in front of her, his posture looking like he could barely hold himself back. He reached out for her, and Aloy tensed up as she almost expected him to embrace her. Teb didn’t, though, he simply placed his hands on her shoulders for a moment, pressing gently, searching her face with his eyes. In the way his hands were trembling Aloy knew he was holding back more words than he could ever speak, unable to express his relief. Aloy took a breath.

“I’m sorry, Teb. For being late. I know I promised to be back by nightfall, but I had to take a detour. We killed the Thunderjaw, and I had the lens, but I got attacked out of nowhere on the way back. The lens broke in the fight. I had to ride all the way back to Lone Light and find another Thunderjaw to harvest a new lens. I have it here, Teb.”

Aloy made to set down her satchel, but stopped when she felt Teb tense up. Aloy was almost shocked to see something like desperation in his expression. She had never heard Teb sounding this upset when he spoke.

“Aloy, you can’t do that! You can’t just risk your life like that for a lens! Hunting a second Thunderjaw in so many hours, all alone, in the darkness! It’s reckless, even for you,” Teb said, his otherwise so gentle eyes blazing.

Aloy furrowed her brow. “Teb, I think you are very well aware that I can do whatever I see fit. Like I have been doing my entire life. And I think you also know that I can take care of myself sufficiently,” she stated firmly, trying not to raise her voice. “I did this for you, and I expected at least some kind of thanks.”

At that, a mere heartbeat after her outburst, Teb’s upset expression faltered, melting away like snow in the sun, and all that remained was honest, heartfelt sadness. Aloy blinked, stunned by his sudden change in expression. Teb visibly took a deep breath.

“I know, Aloy. I’m sorry. I know you can take care of yourself, I mean… there can’t be a better hunter than you, right? It’s just… During the war with the Eclipse, you had a world to save. I was so worried for your life back then, but who am I to tell you to be careful, when there’s a whole world depending on you risking your life? That was different. But what happened today… I felt like I sent you off to your death, all for a stupid lens. It would have been my fault if something had happened to you. I… I could never forgive myself,” Teb said, his voice getting quieter until his last words came out as barely a whisper. “It’s just an object, Aloy. It’s nothing compared to you.”

Aloy felt her throat tightening, unable to speak. She already deeply regretted snapping at Teb like she did when he was only expressing his worry for her wellbeing, and seeing that sadness in his eyes _hurt_. Aloy made a slight movement forward before she could stop herself, and Teb did as well, meeting her in the middle. For a heartbeat, she thought he would hug her, but again, he did not, he just placed a warm palm on her bare arm, his touch gentle and still sending a rush of tingles down her spine. Teb looked like he wanted to say so much more, but had no idea how to phrase it.

Blinking, Aloy took a slight step back, confused about the fluttering sensation inside her, and annoyed by her own confusion.

“I see, Teb. Sorry for making you worry. I promise to be more careful when it comes to that, okay? Just, please believe me when I say that I was in control of my own exhaustion. I’m tired, but not on the brink of collapsing,” she said firmly, satisfied when the fluttering stopped.

Teb nodded. “I believe you. I should get used to you performing near-miracles.” His smile was back, just like that. Aloy felt herself relaxing, allowing herself a smile.

She finally took out the bundle of cloth from her satchel and showed it to Teb. He gently took it from her hands, unwrapped the Thunderjaw lens and held it in front of a candle. She searched his face, satisfied when he smiled excitedly.

“Perfect. Thank you, Aloy. This is just what I need.”

“Good,” she replied, feeling herself sway a little as her tiredness caught up on her.

“I… I assume you don’t want payment in the form of shards for this, right? What else can I offer you in return?”

Aloy made to answer, but got interrupted by a yawn. Teb grinned.

“How about a good sleep and a breakfast tomorrow?” he suggested.

Aloy just nodded drowsily, already turning to strip her armor plates right where she stood as she trotted over to the blanket on the floor.

 _Teb has left this here for me to sleep_ , Aloy realized dimly as she flopped down on the blanket and curled up. He had even added some soft furs and another pillow. It was warm and soft, and sleep took her over quickly. Aloy barely noticed somebody draping another warm blanket over her body, gently tucking her in before she drifted off.

-

Aloy woke to the sound of jungle birds chirping in the distance and the scent of roasted eggs. Lifting her head, she rolled over and was not surprised to see Teb busy at the fireplace.

“Good morning, Aloy,” he greeted. “Hungry?”

Aloy grumbled something intelligible and sat up. Her muscles ached from the strain yesterday, but otherwise she felt well rested. She got up and sat down on the other side of the round table on the carpet. Teb placed a bowl of what looked like scrambled eggs in front of her. Aloy waited impatiently until he had helped himself to a portion before she dug eagerly into her food. The eggs – goose eggs, she assumed – were spiced with herbs she didn’t know, fried onions and chunks of smoked bacon. It was absolutely delicious and when she was done with her bowl after what seemed like mere moments, Teb filled it again for her.

“How about your armor? Everything how it should be?” Teb wanted to know, gingerly picking up a spoonful of egg.

“It was. Thank you. It even survived a fall down a slope and into a river without me getting more than bruises. You did a great job, Teb.”

At that, Teb’s face became an almost comedic mixture of unbelieving worry when hearing about Aloy’s reckless antics, and deep pride at her compliment. Aloy couldn’t stop herself from chuckling at his expression and almost choked on her food, coughing against the back of her hand, which in turn made Teb laugh softly.

“Whoa, easy,” he said with a smile lighting up his eyes. “A Thunderjaw can’t bring you down, but it would be a shame if a mouthful of eggs could.”

Aloy laughed even harder at that and had to place the bowl on the table, Teb pitching in with his quiet, careful chuckling, eyes glittering with mirth. She tried to calm down a little and eventually managed to do so, but that fluttering warmth in her stomach from laughing together with him stayed. Aloy finished her eggs as soon and reached for her satchel, remembering the nexus shards she had gathered from the first Thunderjaw last afternoon.

“Teb, look. I found those on the first kill yesterday,” she said, handing him the bundle of shards.

Teb set his empty bowl aside and accepted the shards from her. His eyes went wide with amazement when he picked one up and held it in front of the sunlight.

“Aloy, they are gorgeous! What are they, exactly?”

“The nexus,” she replied, grinning at his questioning frown. “A reddish glowing plate on the machine’s forehead. There is a computing unit embedded under it – something like a brain, if you will. One of the other Nora hit it with an arrow and it splintered. I thought you might find the shards useful.”

Teb’s radiant smile warmed her stomach even more.

“I certainly do. Well, I think. I need to test on a smaller shard how to carve and polish them, but red is a very popular color among Carja, as you might have noticed. I’m sure you have. I think I already know how to work them into a new project…”

Teb’s excited voice trailed behind him as he got up with the shards and skittered over to his workshop, holding them up in front of half-finished armor pieces and dresses to see how they would fit in. Aloy smiled to herself watching him get wrapped up in his work, passionate as he was about clothing.

She left Teb to his experiments, fetching herself one of those sweet green fruits from a basket and sat down at the balcony in the sun. She knew Teb wouldn’t mind her helping herself to food. Enjoying the sunshine warming her skin and the sweet juice, she sat in silence for a while, listening to the subtle sound of carving tools behind her and the hum of voices from the city.

“Did the other Nora do well with the Thunderjaw? I’ve only ever heard tales about it, luckily, and I can’t possibly imagine how hard it is to kill,” Teb asked eventually.

Aloy turned on the pillow she was sitting on cross-legged so that she could see Teb at his workbench, a red shard and a small file in his hands.

“They did quite well, given their eagerness to gain trophies. I had to remind Talan a few times not to aim for the head to keep the lens intact, though. Old habits die hard, it seems,” she replied.

Teb didn’t seem to mind her mentioning Talan, despite the hunter’s rude behavior towards him earlier. “Hitting the eye is... a weak spot?” he guessed, and smirked proudly when Aloy nodded. His easy mood encouraged her to try and ask him about his reaction to Talan’s insult.

“About that, Teb… Talan was being quite an ass towards you, but you didn’t really seem to care,” she stated, watching his face carefully.

Teb’s nimbly moving hands halted for a moment, and his golden-green eyes met hers. There was no shame in them, just his usual gentle expression.

“Why should I care? He’s right. I’m not much of a hunter, I’ve never been good with weapons. And don’t even get me started on running Brave trails, right?” he said, his last words dissolving into a little chuckle that Aloy mirrored. She remembered meeting Teb as a child, the first tribe member she ever saw, and the only one to treat her like one of theirs, not like an outcast. The first smile she had ever seen any other person but Rost give her was Teb’s. He’d been doing quite well on the trail until he had slipped and almost got killed had Aloy not interfered. Aloy still remembered the slap his father had given Teb when he tried to thank her, despite the law not to talk to outcasts.

Teb had always treated her differently, she realized now that she thought about it. Simply like a person, not like an outcast or some chosen hero. Like a friend.

“Have you tried running in the Proving?” Aloy finally dared to ask, now sure that he wouldn’t be offended admitting if he performed poorly.

As expected, Teb merely huffed out a soft laugh. “I tried, but it didn’t go very well. I barely got past the trophy trial and soon found out that I’d rather not break my neck in the climbing trial. I gave up, actually. It’s never been something I was good at, but that’s fine. I have other talents,” he explained, no sadness or regret in his voice.

Aloy let her gaze wander about his workshop, the seemingly endless variations of gorgeous outfits and excellent armor he made. “You certainly do, Teb.”

“I have always liked… this. Using my hands to create things. Even more so when I know my armor protects hunters and warriors against the dangers out there,” he said, nodding his head towards Aloy’s attire that he had apparently piled up neatly on a shelf while Aloy slept.

“There’s some people who would certainly be a lot less showy if they didn’t have proper protection made by Stitchers like you,” Aloy agreed drily.

Teb smirked at that, eyes focused on filing the nexus shard into a neat, feather-like shape.

“You seem happy being a Stitcher.”

Teb’s smile turned a little lopsided. “I am.” A shadow passed behind his eyes, though, very briefly and barely noticeable. “Not everybody is. But I am.”

Aloy frowned, but something in Teb’s face prevented her from pressing him to elaborate. Still, her impression of him had improved even more than before. It took a person a great deal of inner strength and mental balance to accept weaknesses like Teb did, a talent that Aloy felt most people lacked. She herself was struggling with that, sometimes. Her occasionally very short temper, for example. Thinking of that, something she had said to Teb a long time ago came back to her mind.

“I… would like to apologize, Teb. Back in the cave, after entering the bunker – All-Mother mountain, I mean – I snapped at you, even when you didn’t do anything wrong. Sorry for that”, she said.

Teb stared at her with such a surprised expression as if she had just told him she had seen a talking Watcher. He blinked a few times, then his usual shy smile spread over his face.

“Aloy, don’t. You just went through more strain than any person should endure in their entire life, it’s perfectly understandable you were stressed. Also, I called you An… you know, the word with A. Not _Aloy_ , the other one,” he said, stuttering a little during his last words, gaze fixed on the shard he was working on.

Aloy had to laugh softly. Teb really was careful never to call her _the Anointed_ , and she deeply appreciated that. “It’s alright, really. No harsh feelings?”

“Not at all. Never had any.”

Teb looked up, very briefly, and in his eyes she could see that he _meant_ it, with all his heart. He blushed, as if knowing just how much was visible in his gaze, and focused on his work again. Aloy smiled and leaned back in the pillow she was sitting on, enjoying the morning sun and eating another green fruit.

“I think this would be perfect as a low neckline… Or as a framing piece around the hipbones…” Teb mused after a while. Aloy turned a little and watched as he gently blew some dust away from the now finely polished shard and held it up in front of an unfinished dress that, as far as she could tell, would reveal the stomach once completed and quite a lot of the chest area.

“I’m sure it will turn heads once finished, with the red glass barely covering all that bare skin”, Aloy said, biting her tongue to avoid laughing when Teb flinched and peeked back over his shoulder, blushing violently, as if he was feeling guilty about planning seductive female clothing while she was present.

“Are you… Do you mind if I…? I mean, that’s part of the Carja fashion,” he stuttered, and Aloy hurried to calm him, deeply amused.

“I don’t mind you talking about revealing dresses, Teb. Or creating them. I have a Carja Blazon myself,” she said, and Teb seemed to know exactly what kind of armor she meant, and _how_ revealing it was.

“Oh… you do…? I… I’m sure it feels very comfortable in this heat,” Teb answered as neutrally as possible, carefully turning his back, most probably to hide his blush. Aloy chuckled to herself, deciding that she had teased him enough.

“So you do like the nexus shards?”

Teb finally turned around again and nodded. “Very much. I’ve never seen anyone use this machine part before. Maybe I’ll be able to find out more about its properties in battle, or under elemental strain. Maybe it can even improve existing armor.”

Teb’s voice got very quiet, and he stared at the beautifully carved blood-red shard in his hand and the Thunderjaw lens on his bench. “Aloy… I wonder how many other undiscovered useful parts there are, hidden on machines almost nobody dares to hunt?”

It was a question that sounded like he had asked it to himself. But still, Aloy felt some kind of shared thought between them, like a spiderweb in the sun, invisible but there, without any words needed. Teb looked up until their eyes met, and something in his expression caused heat of excitement to pool low in Aloy’s stomach. She felt the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile that Teb mirrored.

Aloy knew Teb had just made an offer to her. And she was almost surprised just how much she was willing to accept it.

“Well… Do you think the lady with the Ravager lens dress has a jealous friend that would purchase a similar garment from you?” Aloy asked him, toying idly with her blast sling.

Teb’s gaze was deep as the lake, and his green eyes searched her face for a long moment before he calmly spoke.

“I’m very sure she would, Aloy.”

Aloy nodded slowly, tugging at the sling.

“Seems like you could use another lens, then.”

She didn’t need to look up to know that Teb was smiling.

“I certainly could do with one, yes. And, Aloy… After coming back from the hunt… Would you like roasted duck with honey and onions for dinner, or rather fish stew with clams?”

Now Aloy smirked widely as well. “Duck sounds nice.”

“Looks like we have a deal, Aloy.”

“It does, Teb.”


	5. Chapter 5

V.

Several weeks passed, but Aloy barely felt the time rush by.

She was as busy and excited as she hadn’t been in as long as she could think, before she started to train for the Proving to learn about her past, finding out she was a key to an ancient mystery in the process. Now, there was no pressure any more, no maddened servant of an evil spirit chasing her to bring her down and raise an army of war machines. She simply was herself.

Aloy hunted for machines, but not just because they posed a threat or because she needed resources. She explicitly searched the carcasses for new parts she had overlooked before, using all creativity she had to think in new ways. Everything that seemed useful, unusual or simply aesthetical was salvaged by her and brought back to Meridian.

Back to the Stitcher’s workshop.

Teb used the parts he had asked Aloy to bring him for his work on commissioned garments, and experimented with new resources she found. She regularly received lists from him – a Snapmaw heart, a Sawtooth lens, the horn of a Trampler and such – and checked it off bit by bit, all the while also looking for new materials. Teb was always thrilled when Aloy came back showing him a new part, and even when not all of them turned out to be useful, his enthusiasm about each and every one of her discoveries was contagious.

 _Aloy, Machine Hunter_. Now her inofficial title really made sense, and it made her smile unconsciously whenever she thought about it.

It was a not much of a new way of life for Aloy, but still different in a way she couldn’t quite wrap her mind around. There was a certain kind of balanced trade-off between them – Aloy supplied Teb’s workshop with rare and exotic machine parts and got food, shelter and a place to sleep in return, but more importantly – a purpose. She was still free, unbound and able to approach her errands in every way she saw fit. Aloy also realized she enjoyed the feeling of returning to the workshop with a bag of loot, knowing Teb would use the parts to slowly but surely stitch the Carja and Nora culture closer together. When Aloy listened to gossip in the market, or happened to overhear Teb talking to a customer while taking their measurements or discussing color choices, she realized Meridian’s attitude towards the Scared Lands got more positive the busier Teb integrated Nora customs into Carja society. Knowing she was contributing to that was satisfying in more than one way.

Sometimes Aloy stayed out for several days, sleeping under the open sky next to a campfire.  She always made sure to return in time to not worry Teb, even though she knew he fully trusted her abilities. Seeing his relieved, gentle smile when she returned to his stand or directly to his workshop in time warmed something inside her that made it worth hurrying when she was late.

This time, Aloy had been hunting for Lancehorn spine, a material that, when cracked open, had turned out to contain a number of brilliant opalescent tubes, shimmering in all colors of the rainbow. Teb used it frequently as decorative element as of lately. Aloy loved hunting Lancehorn herds, challenging herself to bring down a number of machines before the herd-guarding Longlegs discovered her. When the herd got startled and charged, she left them to themselves and retreated.

 _Never hunt more than GAIA can reproduce for the terraforming system_ , Aloy told herself as she lit her campfire to spend the night outside. Tomorrow she would return to Meridian after three days in the wild. She enjoyed this liberty she had when working with Teb, like now when looking at a set of Lancehorn spines with a content smile on her face before wrapping them up in cloth. She had set up camp in a crook of the river south of Free Heap, warming herself on the campfire as the sun slipped behind the horizon, and the sky turned dark blue. Aloy roasted a turkey over the embers, a part of her missing the delicious nut bread Teb usually served with meat. She had her fill, wrapped the leftovers up for tomorrow and curled up in a woolen blanket next to her resting Broadhead.

Aloy got up before the sun rose and made her way back to Meridian, following the meandering line of the river coast, careful not to alert the Stormbird that patrolled the sky in this area.

 _If I can keep up this speed, I can be home by evening_ , Aloy thought to herself.

_Wait… What did I just think…?_

Aloy’s brow furrowed into a frown. _Home_. She had thought of Meridian as home. Did she really consider the Carja city that important to her?

The looming towers and intricately decorated bridges came to her mind, the palace she had never approved of, as little as Sun-King Avad had himself, the melting pot of all kinds of cultures that Meridian was. Sure, Aloy liked the city, its people were more welcoming towards her than most Nora had ever been, but…

As she searched her own thoughts, Aloy couldn’t help her mind straying to Teb’s little stand, a piece of both their Nora roots in this new land, his comfortable workshop, the scent of leather and beeswax and his cooking, his green eyes glittering when he shot her that shy smile. His usually timid, introverted nature that was so easy and open when she was around. Maybe it was _that_ she had come to associate with something familiar, something close to…

Aloy shook her head and spurred the Broadhead to a wild gallop. Thinking about this was a strange concept to her, and it made her feel uneasy.

Still, that fluttering deep in her core when thinking about Teb was back, and it wasn’t entirely unwelcome when she crossed the bridge to Meridian with a feeling of anticipation.

-

“You know, I’ve never had that many customers in one week,” Teb said idly while setting a bowl of boar stew and nut bread in front of Aloy, the small apartment tinted in soft orange light as the sun sank outside. “I started making a schedule for the more complicated requests.”

“Won’t those Carja nobles be disappointed if you tell them they have to wait for their dresses to be finished?” Aloy wanted to know before gently blowing on a spoonful of stew. She tried it and let out a soft sigh of pleasure. Teb was an excellent cook, as Aloy had learned, and sharing food with him was something she had grown to look forward to.

Teb chuckled. “I had thought so too. Turns out they are so eager to get a dress with Thunderjaw nexus seams, or Trampler horn shoulder pads, that they gladly wait a few days. Whoa, easy. Don’t burn your tongue, Aloy.”

Aloy quickly reached for the cup of water Teb had placed in front of her. Her appetite when returning from a hunt sometimes got the better of her, and the quality of Teb’s dishes didn’t help to quench it.

“Thank you for the nut bread. It’s one of my favorites,” Aloy commented. She smirked when Teb blushed, poking around in his bowl with a spoon.

“I know,” he said so quietly it was barely audible, but he smiled as well.

“I see more people wearing Nora clothing outside of Meridian as well,” Aloy reported to him between two spoonfuls of stew. “A few in Cutcliffs, yesterday. I wonder when the first Nora will move to make a living in Meridian. Or outside the Embrace, as a start.”

Teb’s look turned a little insecure. “I’m not sure they ever will, Aloy. One would have to convince the Matriarchs to allow it. However, I’m happy to be here.”

Aloy took a generous bite of the nut bread and thought about Teb’s words. He was right, before Nora settlers could leave the Embrace and make a living outside their borders, the Matriarchs would have to stop making everyone who dared to cross the line an outcast. Her thoughts strayed to Rost and how he had become an outcast, and she quickly tried to suppress the sorrow welling up inside her.

“What’s on the list tomorrow, Teb?” Aloy asked to distract herself.

Teb’s gentle green-golden eyes took on an almost mischievous glitter, and his mouth twitched into a coy smile. “Your favorite, I believe.”

Aloy jerked her head up, excitement bubbling up in her. “Lancehorn spine?”

Teb nodded. “Yes. But… I’ve talked to some hunter at the Lodge. I’m afraid the herds have moved to the north. You might have to look in the deserts behind the lake, to Rustwash.”

Aloy’s enthusiastic smile faltered a little. “That’s Rockbreaker territory.”

Teb’s spoonful of stew stopped halfway to his mouth. “You seem… worried about them? Are they… dangerous?”

Seeing the honest, heartfelt concern in Teb’s eyes, Aloy hurried to explain. There was no use sugarcoating the truth for him, she wanted to be honest with Teb.

“Pretty dangerous, I’m afraid. They dig underground and attack you from below. They have bad eyes, so they rely on their hearing. I won’t be able to cross their territory on a mount. The trampling makes too much noise. I’ll have to sneak past them once I reach a Rockbreaker site.”

Teb’s expression could have tamed a raging Stormbird with its gentle softness. “Aloy… I know you can do this, but still…”

Aloy smiled at him. “I’ll be careful. I promise to come back in one piece, Teb.”

Teb nodded slowly, his intense gaze fixed firmly on hers. “Thank you, Aloy.”

-

Aloy did come back in one piece, but that piece was in absolutely miserable condition.

She had ridden all the way around the lake towards the northern desert, south of Shadow Carja territory. The tempers had calmed somewhat, after prince Itamen’s transfer to Meridian, but Aloy still had taken to wear her Shadow Stalwart disguise when coming closer to Sunfall. She didn’t like the mask-shaped headpiece at all since the delicate wire ornaments always got tangled up in her hair, but she had to put it on to avoid conflicts. As soon as she had reached the desert of Rustwash, things had turned sour.

Aloy’s mount got attacked by a group of Longlegs, and her attempt to outrun the flock to not startle all Lancehorns within reach with the noise the raging bird-like machines made got her too close to a Rockbreaker site. A Rockbreaker had spotted her before she could hide and she had to leave the Broadhead behind as a pawn to leave the site unseen. The Lancehorn hunt went well until the fourth machine, when a flock of Scrappers discovered the Lancehorn carcasses and attracted another Rockbreaker with their noise.

 _Give me a break_ … Aloy thought, shot a corruption arrow into the nearest Lancehorn, which then ran amok and sufficiently drew the Rockbreaker’s attention from her so she could gather her resources and leave. It would have worked if the thunderstorm hadn’t broken lose, turning the dusty sand of the desert into brown mud within mere moments. Dashing through the splattering dirt and rain on the back of a Strider, Aloy made her way to the lake, followed not only by Scrappers, but also an angry Rockbreaker. She went down to the lakeshore, not willing to lead the machines around the curve of the lake to avoid them attacking the near settlement of Blazing Arch.

Which forced Aloy to continue her way through the water.

 _I’m_ _already dripping wet, so what does it matter_ , Aloy thought sourly as she abandoned her Strider and jumped headfirst into the lake to swim back to the other side. Having slightly miscalculated the effort it took her to swim when the waters were churned by storm, she arrived in Brightmarket gasping for air, and dragged herself back to the nearest elevator. When she arrived in the market of Meridian, she was dead on her feet and drenched to the bone. The rain was still hailing down on the city, and Teb’s market stand was closed.

Aloy climbed up the steps of Teb’s apartment and all but collapsed on a chair as soon as she had closed the door behind her. Teb was sitting at his workbench, but when he saw her he jumped up and came towards her.

“Aloy! So you got caught in the storm. Let me take your bag, and take off your armor. I’ll get you a warm blanket and a tea…” Teb said, helping Aloy with her satchel. Aloy just nodded and lifted her arms so he could undo her shoulder pads and the backplate. She removed the rest of her armor and clothing herself until she was only dressed in her undergarments. Everything but that, a soft tunic and simple pants, was dripping with rain.

Teb stepped out of the way so Aloy could sit on a pillow in front of the fireplace. She let out a deep sigh of relief when the heat of the flames seeped through her chilled bones. She rolled her aching shoulders and stretched out her arms and legs to get some feeling back into her feet and hands. In the background, she was vaguely aware of Teb storing her equipment away, and a moment later he hung her wet clothes over a line to dry them.

A warm, woolen blanket was draped around Aloy.

Teb’s palms gently pressed the blanket on her shoulders and rubbed them a little to warm them up. Aloy smiled tiredly, placing one of her hands on Teb’s.

“Thank you, Teb,” she said. She heard him huff out a soft laugh, and gave his hand another thankful little squeeze. He removed his hands from her shoulders, causing a vague feeling of coldness when the gentle rubs stopped, but Aloy heard him pick up the teapot. A hot drink was just what she needed now.

“Are you hurt, Aloy?” Teb wanted to know as he flopped down next to her on a pillow in front of the fire and handed her a cup of steaming tea. Aloy managed a smile, already feeling much better now that she was here. Something about Teb’s calm presence always made her relax. She accepted the tea and relished the warmth the cup radiated when she held it in her hands.

“No, just a little battered. And cold. It was a bit chaotic,” she replied. “I have the spines you wanted, by the way. And no, I didn’t go into any unnecessary risks to gather them. Don’t give me that look, Teb.”

Teb hurried to transform his facial expression into something that did _not_ look incredibly worried about her exhausted condition, and Aloy had to stifle a laugh at the face he made. She drank a sip of the tea and closed her eyes with pleasure at the taste, lemons and honey and herbs. The tea warmed her stomach and chased the cold from her core.

“What… what were you wearing, when you came in? You still have the headpiece on,” Teb remarked.

Aloy blinked and realized with slight annoyance that she still wore the Shadow Stalwart mask. “It’s an armor the Kestrels wear. Warriors of the Shadow Carja. I usually wear it when getting close to Sunfall, to avoid pesky questions about my origin,” she explained.

“That’s an interesting way of weaving machine scales together… If you don’t mind I’d like to take a look at it tomorrow,” Teb said.

“Sure, please do.”

Aloy finished her tea, and Teb held out his hand to take the cup from her. She gave it to him, and shot him a thankful smile when he went to fill it again. While he was busy, Aloy tried to take the Shadow Stalwart headpiece off. The ornamental wires had gotten stuck in her hair, of course, and when she fumbled to get them free she only made it worse. Her braids had gotten horribly tangled by the wind anyway, and after the long swim through the lake they were a hopeless mess. Aloy tugged at the mask again and cursed when she pulled at her own hair.

“Aloy… Would you let me help?” Teb’s quiet voice asked carefully from behind her.

Aloy stopped cursing for a moment and let out an annoyed sigh. “Fine.”

She held still, and Teb’s hands hovered around the edges of her field of vision. He carefully pulled some strands from the mask, gentle enough so that she barely felt it, and a few careful tugs later the mask came off. Teb placed it with the rest of her equipment and came back to Aloy.

“Thank you.”

She was running her hands through her red, slightly wavy hair, frowning with frustration when she felt how messed up and tangled the braids were. Brushing them out and doing them again would be a pain, Aloy knew.

As if Teb had read her mind, he asked: “Would you…How about I sort out your hair a little, Aloy? I could remove the knots and renew the braids.”

Aloy turned her head to gaze at Teb. He had a row of neat dreadlocks on the top of his head that were loosely hanging over the back and partly his left ear, but the rest of his hair was shaved short. She doubted he had to care for his hair that much.

“You can braid hair, Teb?” Aloy asked, raising one eyebrow.

At that, Teb’s usually timid expression turned into an almost cheeky smirk, and he jerked his head towards his workshop. Aloy looked and spotted some dresses with delicately braided ornaments, braided copper wire seams, or braided strands of silks.

“Well, my bad. How could I forget,” she admitted, grinning at the quiet _I told you so_ in Teb’s face. She made a decision.

“If you’d fix my hair, I’d be very thankful,” Aloy said.

“It would be my pleasure,” Teb replied. He got up and returned with a comb made of Grazer shell, a small copper container and a soft brush. Teb pushed one of the pillows around and sat down cross-legged behind Aloy to be able to reach her hair.

Aloy could feel his presence behind her, but he seemed to hesitate.

“Erm… Can I… Are you alright with me touching your hair…? I mean…” Teb began quietly, fell silent for a moment, then continued. “I have noticed that you don’t like it very much when other people touch you, Aloy. Like, when Varl tried to hug you after the battle, you seemed stressed, and all the people wanting to slap your back…”

Teb broke off when Aloy turned a little so she could look at him. She could see in his face that he was being entirely serious about his concern. Teb blushed when she turned towards him.

“I just… would hate to make you feel uncomfortable,” he all but whispered.

Aloy returned his gaze for a moment before she spoke, deciding to be open about this matter with him. “You are very observant, Teb. It’s true, I’m not very keen on any kind of contact, really. It’s… making me feel pressured, more often than not. Maybe it’s because there’s a whole lot of people, men mostly, who don’t know how to keep their distance.”

Maybe it was because Aloy had never met anyone who could make her feel different about more than chaste touches, but something warm fluttering up in her stomach prevented her from saying it out loud.

“It’s hard to describe when I can tolerate getting touched and when not,” Aloy continued, thinking of Erend, truly somebody she considered a close friend. She didn’t mind the occasional playful punches to the shoulder he gave her. Others, she minded a lot. But Teb… He never had _those_ intentions. “And… thank you for respecting that, Teb. In this case, though, I’m okay with it. Please, go ahead.”

Teb’s deep, green eyes searched hers. “Are you sure?”

 _Yes_ , Aloy was sure, she realized. Teb seemed to be an exception on more than one level, including… _this_. This was Teb. And he was just braiding her hair. Of course she was sure.

“I am, Teb.”

She offered him a smile, turned around again so he could reach the back of her head, and inclined it a little to grant him easier access to her hair, inviting him to start.

“… Alright. Sit up straight, and try relaxing your shoulders.”

Teb’s first contact with her hair was hesitant and careful. He simply ran his fingers through the red strands, feeling for knots and tangles. His touches became firmer when he had made sure Aloy was not flinching away from him. He placed a soft piece of cloth over her head and gently rubbed her hair dry, his fingertips roaming over Aloy’s scalp. Then, he undid the ties that held her braids together at the ends, and removed the beads. Teb carefully undid the braids one by one and combed out the strands.

A mood of quiet relaxation settled over them, Aloy contently sipping her tea and Teb working with her hair sitting behind her, both huddled down on pillows in front of the softly crackling fire. Aloy slowly felt the agitation and exhaustion bleed from her muscles the longer she sat, basking in the warmth and comfortable silence.

“You never wanted to have dreadlocks?” Teb asked at one point.

“Not really. Maybe because it’s the typical Nora style, and as an outcast I never really felt compelled to adapt to that,” Aloy replied.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you…”

Teb sounded insecure, and a moment later his face hovered into Aloy’s field of vision as he leaned around her shoulder, searching her expression to see if he had offended her. Aloy shot him a glance that told him he had not. When Teb saw her smirk and her raised eyebrow, he smiled and returned to his task.

“You don’t need dreadlocks, of course. Your hair is gorgeous that way,” Teb added quietly.

Aloy felt her cheeks warming up.

Blaming it on the fire in front of her and the tea in her hands, she closed her eyes and focused on the motion of Teb’s fingers in her hair. He had worked out the tangles with the comb with surprising gentleness, not making it feel painful at any point. He carefully brushed her hair out, then parted off a portion of her hair on the top of her head and started braiding it.

“Would you mind if I use this in your braids?” Teb asked, holding the small copper container in front of Aloy. She opened her eyes and saw that it contained a yellow, sticky substance.

“It smells nice,” Aloy stated after sniffing at it. The sweet, calming scent seemed familiar.

“It’s a mixture of herbal oil and beeswax. I use it to make braiding wool and threads smoother, and to polish leather. Oh, and for my own hair too,” he replied.

Aloy nodded. So that’s where the subtle, pleasant scent of honey came from that often clung to Teb. She had come to associate it with comfort and warmth.

“I like it.”

She watched as Teb smeared a small portion of the wax on the back of his left hand and started braiding the hair on top of her head. He picked up a bit of the wax with his fingertips every time he added a strand to the braid. That way he slowly worked the strands away from her forehead and down towards the back of her neck to let them flow freely. It felt quite relaxing, Aloy found.

 _Very_ relaxing, actually.

When he reached her temples, Teb stopped and asked: “How do you want the arch of the braids over your ears to be? I could do them like this…”

He gently pressed his fingertips into her temples and traced a firm line above her ears down the line of her skull. Aloy shuddered at the touch, but it was not an unpleasant sensation. Not at all.

“… or like this,” Teb continued, tracing another path with his fingers that chased another swarm of tingles down Aloy’s spine, goosebumps prickling on her arms. It felt… very nice.

“Could you… show me the choices again?” she asked, her voice surprisingly husky. Teb hesitated a moment, but then his hands moved again.

“… Like this…” Teb said and his fingertips pressed into Aloy’s temples again, following a path down behind her ears, grazing over that sensitive spot of skin above her neck.

A soft gasp escaped Aloy before she could bite her tongue to stop it. Those pleasant tingles were back, setting the tiny hairs on her arms and the back of her neck on edge.

As if he was aware of what she was feeling, Teb’s fingers didn’t leave her hair, this time. They dug deeply into her red curls until they reached her skin, crawling their way back up from behind her ears, rubbing a circle around her temples, and then he outlined the other path again.

“Or like this,” Teb all but whispered.

Aloy had closed her eyes, lost in the sensation. Teb seemed to sense what it did to her, she could only assume, since he stopped talking and his fingertips kept gently scraping through her red strands, drawing patterns and circles. His touches lingered, turning into a gentle, thorough massage. He focused on spots that chased those flutters down Aloy’s spine, rubbing gentle circles over her temples, and that soft patch of skin behind her ear, down the back of her neck. Heat was pooling low in her stomach, and her hands felt very warm despite the tea long gotten cold. After letting out a soft gasp of pleasure, Aloy bit her tongue to avoid making any involuntary noises. It felt so good that she lost her feeling of time, and just let Teb massage her head.

Eventually, after she didn’t know how long, Teb stretched his arm out and reached for another pillow. He placed it in his lap, between Aloy and him, and she realized it was supposed to support her lower back. Then his fingers were back in her hair, turning her mind into mush, and she slumped back against Teb’s warm chest.

A part of Aloy asked why she allowed this to happen, and another part asked back why she should stop something _this_ good.

So she allowed it.

After enjoying the massage for some time longer, Aloy vaguely noticed that it had gotten dark outside. She frowned as she realized that Teb’s been doing her this favor for quite a while now, without being able to relax himself. He had all but pampered her so far, and this started to feel… not quite abusive to her, but at least a little unfair. She didn’t want to overexert his sweet-tempered generosity, so she pulled back a little.

That was what Aloy told herself, at least. Deep inside her core, something heated, something raw and hungry, longed for this, wanted _more_.

Somehow, she knew Teb would gladly give it.

It unsettled Aloy, and so she withdrew slightly, and Teb immediately took his hands away, waiting for her to turn so she could look at him.

“Teb… That was a treat, thank you. I’m feeling much more like myself now,” Aloy said. Teb’s smile was as usual, but there was something deep and warm radiating from his gentle eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Aloy. I… I’m not quite done with your braids, though. We… got distracted, I guess.”

“A little, yes,” Aloy replied with a sarcastic, but friendly smirk. “How about my braids?”

“Sure. Let me finish them.”

Teb did with surprising efficiency, and a few moments later her hair was done, braided firmly back over her ears in neat symmetrical rows.

“Alright… This will hold a good while, no matter how many storms you have to endure,” Teb said contently.

Aloy, after having combed her own fingers through her hair and deciding that it had never felt better, wanted to give him a little thankful nudge with her elbow like she did usually, but this time settled for resting her palm on his bare arm instead. Teb leaned into the touch ever so slightly.

“Thank you. I… wouldn’t mind repeating that, Teb. Messy hair or not,” she said eventually.

Teb’s calm gaze bore into hers, searching, seeing that she meant it. His eyes shone like lake water in the sun, and Aloy found herself caught in his gaze, when Teb suddenly moved forward.

He reached out with his hand and brushed back a stray strand from Aloy’s forehead, gently caressing down the side of her face to her jaw. The touch of his warm fingertips was so subtle it was barely there, light as a feather, but still Aloy found herself frozen to the spot, the tingles back with a vengeance.

“I don’t mind either,” he whispered.

Aloy’s mouth felt very dry, and she had to willingly bring herself to nod. Teb smiled and retreated from his seat behind her, sitting next to her in front of the fire instead. He picked up an unfinished piece of embroidery from a nearby table and started to work on it, while Aloy hurriedly sipped at her forgotten tea.

They continued sitting comfortably in front of the fireplace, warm and content, but all the while, a part of Aloy was reeling with a mess of thoughts. That part wanted Teb to sit behind her again, allow her to lean against him, to inhale his subtle scent while his fingers caressed her hair, her neck, her shoulders…

Aloy frowned at her own treacherous mind and stubbornly downed the cold tea.

Later, when she was lying on her soft blanket in front of the balcony, she still couldn’t stop herself from smiling when she remembered Teb’s gentle touch and smelled the beeswax in her hair.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And in this episode of "The love triangle everybody but Aloy is aware of": Teb vs. Nil. Enjoy.
> 
> Sorry for making Nil look like a psychopath in this one. That is because he is, you know, a psychopath. Don't worry, I love him too, but in comparison to Teb I'm siding with Teb.

VI.

During the following weeks, Aloy didn’t mess up her hair again, but she got another head massage anyway. There hadn’t been any talking about the matter, no asking for it or offering it. It hadn’t been necessary. Teb was seated on the balcony on a pillow when Aloy had flopped down next to him after a successful hunt. He had greeted her with a touch to her shoulder that Aloy had returned, and after a while of friendly talking a kind of _drifting_ had happened, Aloy slowly scooting closer to Teb and Teb lifting his hand to the back of her neck, letting his fingers crawl into her curls when she inclined his head to give him an easier job of it. They shifted until both his hands were digging into her hair, Aloy closing her eyes with pleasure. It was very nice, and Aloy felt a lot less unsettled about enjoying it than before.

It started to feel… normal. Familiar.

Earlier she would have chided herself for indulging in this, Aloy thought. Now, she didn’t.

When Teb greeted Aloy upon coming home from a hunt by gently placing his palms on her upper arms, Aloy reached up and cupped the side of his face with her hand in a short caress. It lasted only a moment, but Teb still leaned into her touch and carefully returned the gesture, his fingers warm on her skin. Afterwards Aloy had to grin about his deep blush and silly smile, not quite able to ignore how much her heartbeat had quickened.

That became familiar too, like the scent of leather and beeswax.

They bid each other goodbye with a gentle touch to the other’s cheek before Aloy went for that one hunt that should end so badly and change so much.

Teb had given Aloy a request for a Behemoth lens and Longleg wings, and thus made her way to the north, towards Maker’s End. She remembered vaguely that there was a Behemoth site with patrolling Longlegs in the area, near a now cleared bandit camp. Aloy left Meridian on the back of a Strider and made her way through the desert into the north.

The landscape slowly changed from sun-baked desert to a bushy heather, and then into thick forest. Aloy made good speed, taking a generous turn around the Rockbreaker site and hunting two Lancehorns for their spines along the way. By dusk, Aloy stopped in the former bandit camp to see how the village had developed since her last visit and to stock up on supplies.

 _The village has grown_ , she thought contently when she entered. There were families moving about, children and merchants and builders replacing the formerly makeshift barracks with durable huts. It made a peaceful, productive impression, a place for people to make a living where formerly bandits set out to kill and raid.

The Carja-clad man with the bright red feather headpiece standing outside the gate wore an expression of disapproval on his face as if he’d very much prefer the old state of the camp.

“Nil…?” Aloy asked when she approached the man on her way out of the settlement after browsing for sparkers. So he had survived the battle at the Spire.

Nil’s eyes lit up like a puddle of blaze set on fire. “Aloy! Looks like fate has put you and me in the same place again, this man here and that gorgeous woman there. A shame there’s no more bandits in the place we both happen to be in.”

“Hey, Nil. You… seriously would prefer this to be a bandit camp again?”

“Of course. I can’t hunt civilians. I mean, I could, sure, but it would make entering settlements horribly hard afterwards.”

“… Forget that I asked.”

Aloy sighed inwardly. Her attitude towards Nil always verged on the border between disgust, amusement and a strange sense of appreciation, since he usually managed to kill people that posed a grave danger against others. The point was that he _enjoyed_ it way more than any sane person should.

“Anyway, what are you doing around here?” she asked, if only to make herself feel less scrutinized as Nil’s eyes wandered over her.

“Nothing much. Finding food for the Voice of Our Teeth. Haven’t found anything, sadly. What about you?”

Aloy blinked, then remembered that it was the name of his bow.

“I’m out to hunt Behemoths and Longlegs. Want to join in?” Aloy asked, deciding that, given the regular thunderstorms in this time of year, she could use some help.

“Machines…? Quite dull, don’t you think? No thrill killing them, no light to snuff out in their eyes…” Nil mused, shooting her something he must have considered a flirting glance.

“Well, Nil, it’s that or nothing. Decide for yourself, I’m moving north.”

Aloy whistled for her Strider, and Nil hurried to reach out to her.

“Wait! I’ll come. Maybe it gets exciting once you’re involved.”

They set out together, following a slim path north into the forest. First patches of snow indicated they were getting closer to the mountains. South of Maker’s End, when the sun had almost slipped behind the horizon, Aloy and Nil made a stop.

“A nightly hunt, huh? How _romantic_. So many secrets hidden in the shadows,” Nil commented once Aloy dismounted her Strider. She rolled her eyes and decided to ignore his last words. The more often she had to endure this suggestive tone, the more she missed Teb’s gentle, open friendliness.

“We won’t remain hidden for long. The Longlegs will detect us anyway, they have scanners. I’d rather not hunt at night, but the Behemoths are too large to overlook them approaching. You decide. If you think you’ll be more focused by daylight we can wait,” Aloy said, eyeing the bulky, giant machines wandering about behind the small stand of juniper they were hiding in.

“Let’s do it now, Aloy. I’m all yours. My spear belongs to you.”

Aloy bit her tongue to avoid snapping back a retort that might have turned out louder than was appropriate. Teb would never pester her with bolt flirting like that.

Some part in Aloy whispered that if he did, it wouldn’t be like… this. It would be different, because it’d be Teb.

Aloy frowned and yanked her bow from her back a little more roughly than necessary. She shot Nil a determined glare.

“Let’s go, then.”

Their hunt went on for the better part of the night. They had to retreat in between, taking a short breather to restock on ammo from the satchel attached to the Strider and got chased by a Longleg that Aloy turned hostile with corruption arrows so that it attacked the other machines, worsening the chaos. The forest echoed with the thundering steps of the charging Behemoths and the screams of the bird-like machines, illuminated by lighting and fire arrows. Finally, Nil and Aloy brought down two Behemoths and three Longlegs.

Satisfied, Aloy looted the machines for the parts Teb needed, and found two intact lenses. Out of the six pairs of wings, only four were undamaged enough to use, but she was content with the overall outcome of the hunt. Deciding to search the large carcasses of the Behemoths for new resources in the daylight, Aloy returned to Nil with her Strider. He was setting up a campfire a little further away from the battlefield.

“Haven’t had this much fun since Blackwing Snag,” he commented when Aloy approached.

“Glad to hear that, Nil. And all without human bloodshed.”

At that, Nil gave a sad nod, as if still mourning the lack of human enemies to fight. “What were you doing with the carcasses there? I understand taking the lenses, but what are the wings for?”

Aloy sat down, pondering how to answer that.

“I… picked them up for a friend who needs them,” she answered neutrally.

Nil’s grey eyes narrowed.

“A _friend_? Who?”

Aloy frowned, not sure how to reply to that. It wasn’t that she had anything to hide. Teb was an old friend, and they had something like a business going on, so there was nothing for Nil to be so nosey about.

 “Teb, a Nora who tries to settle down in Meridian. He makes garments and armor, and I hunt rare parts for him.”

“So… you are partners, in a way?”

 _Business partners don’t watch the stars while sitting on the balcony together, or caress the other’s hair, and they certainly don’t sleep in the same room_ , Aloy’s thoughts chimed in before she could stop them. Still, she decided to settle for that.

“We are.”

Nil’s expression turned almost pouty. “I thought _we_ were partners.”

Aloy tried very hard to retain a neutral face. Nil was alright to work with, but she’d rather eat a living spider than calling him a partner. At least not in the way _he_ was thinking of it.

“I… have my own roads to follow, Nil.”

“U-hu. And they seem to lead us back together to kill. Still, that... arrangement you have with that guy sounds like something you are very good at,” Nil replied. He picked up his bow. “Well, I’m out to get us some meat, if you don’t mind.”

“Please do,” Aloy said, sitting down and sorting through her prey. Nil shouldered his quiver and vanished into the darkness. Aloy remained sitting by the fire, warming her frozen feet. Teb had tweaked her armor over the course of the time they were working together, but as he always used to say, there were trade-offs. Aloy’s heavy melee armor was not suited for sitting in the snow, and without the large campfire she would freeze. She took off some of the plates on her torso after checking her surroundings with her focus and finding nothing but small wildlife, wrapping herself in a blanket. She couldn’t see much due to the bright flames, but they kept her warm. Aloy yawned, starting to get drowsy.

Something dashed out of the darkness and smashed into her side, screaming like a demon. Aloy’s right side burned with pain, the other was pressed into the cold, biting snow, but she managed to grab her spear and scramble to her feet. Trying to search between the bright fire and the darkness for the machine that had attacked her was almost impossible and her mind raced to find out what it was, how she could fight it, but nothing fit, _nothing_ made sense, it was too small and too noisy and it squirmed and screamed and…

… _it bled_?

“Aloy! Boar!” Nil’s voice reached her over the screaming, and Aloy finally managed to stab her spear into the creature’s neck, and it fell, shrieking miserably as it died.

Aloy breathed again, heavily, staring at the largest boar she had ever seen, way larger than the ones she knew from the Embrace. Its teeth and foamy snout were red with blood.

“Aloy! Damn, that boar almost got me. I’ve fought bandit captains that were friendlier than this monstrosity,” Nil gasped as he came running towards her. “That is why I prefer humans. No manners, this thing. And it stinks.”

He rounded the boar, a satisfied expression on his face. “The gorgeous thrill of death... And we even had a reason besides the fun to kill it! Wait, Aloy… you are awfully pale. Are you injured?”

Nil’s words registered through a haze. Aloy’s side was a flare of pain, and when she lifted her hand from where she had pressed it against herself, it came back bright red.

“It bit me… right where I took off my armor. Great” she growled, carefully sitting down. “It’s just a flesh wound. It’s not too bad, I have healing herbs.”

“Can I help?” Nil asked, something in his eyes gleaming with suspicious hope.

“Er, no, thanks, Nil. I can handle this. Might be hard to believe for you, but this is not my first wound.”

Aloy turned her back to Nil, who shrugged and started to cut the boar’s meat. Aloy rolled up her shirt as far as she could to inspect the wound. She had treated a lot of flesh wounds during her travels, torn into her skin by iron talons and steel jaws of machines. Machines, yes. Clean metal. While she applied healing herbs onto the wound like Rost had taught her to do, her eyes went back to the boar’s head, and the bloodied, sharp teeth poking out from its dirty, saliva-coated maw.

Something about the bite wound felt different, and it worried Aloy. It stung and burned, and a deep, dull ache spread out from it. Trying not to think about it too much, she dressed the wound and sat down in front of the fire again. The night went on, and the snowflakes bit into her skin. Nil was talking, she registered faintly, and handing her some roasted meat. Her stomach rumbled angrily when she smelled the meat, and she found she was not hungry. She was so close to the fire it must have been scalding, but she felt cold, so very cold, shivering despite the heat. Sweat was beading on her brow, and her head hurt.

“Aloy…?”

Nil’s words sounded like she was under water when she slumped to the side.

“… Bring me to Teb…” she whispered weakly, the only thought left in her mind before it was drowned out by the thump of her heart, feeling the fever rise with every painful throb of her head. “… Teb…”

The world went dark.

-

Teb carefully stashed the last of his wares away in the stand, closed the hatch and locked it. He put the key in the small pouch he always wore around his neck, grabbed the bag with the day’s income and turned to leave. The afternoon sun turned the market square red, and most visitors hurried back to their homes. Dark clouds rushing in from the west threatened heavy rain later.

 _I just hope Aloy is safe and dry_ , Teb thought not for the first time this day, casting a look out over the bridge that connected Meridian with the surrounding land. He turned to leave, when a faint movement caught his eye.

There was a Strider running over the bridge at full gallop. Teb frowned, worry bubbling up inside him. As far as he knew only Aloy was able to tame machines, but the figure on the Strider was way taller than her, and wore a bright red Carja helmet. Teb turned fully now, following the Strider with his eyes. He watched as it disappeared behind a tower gate, but soon the sound of metal hoofs on stone let him know it was headed towards the market.

When the Strider came dashing through the gate Teb realized there were not one, but two people riding on it, and one of them was draped limply over the machine’s back.

Teb could not see if it was alive or not, but he could have picked that silhouette and fire-red hair out from any crowd.

Panic overtook him and he ran towards the Strider, which let out a high-pitched whicker as it staggered to an abrupt stop once it reached him.

“Aloy! Is she alive?” Teb asked, horrified, dreading the answer, not even remotely caring who the Carja steering the Strider was.

“Are you Teb?” the man wanted to know as he slipped from the machine and scooped Aloy’s limp body into his arms. The sight made Teb’s insides clench with pain, but he forced himself to answer.

“I am. _Is she alive_?”

“She is. Got bitten by a boar, I guess the wound got infected. She passed out, hasn’t woken up since. She needs help,” the man said.

A weight as heavy as a mountain that had been pressing down on Teb’s heart vanished, and he almost laughed with relief. Aloy was alive, but she was sick. He needed to stay focused now, for her sake. Forcing himself to calm down, Teb gestured to the next alleyway.

“Come, we get her to my place. Follow me.”

The man obeyed, following Teb through the maze of narrow streets until they reached his apartment. He opened the door for the man to carry Aloy through and stepped inside behind him.

“Place her on the bed over there,” he told him, and the man gently put her down on the mattress, then placed Aloy’s leather satchel with her weapons and equipment next to the bed. While he did so, Teb bustled over to his washbowl filled with fresh water and soaked some clean towels in it, then grabbed a container of medicine and herbs and returned to the bed.

“What happened?” Teb asked the man, who looked down at Aloy with a mixture of confusion and worry, as if he had never been faced with the task of healing another person. Judging by his attire, every bit of his armor spelling _seasoned soldier_ , Teb assumed he might have more of a talent when it came to relieving people of their lives than saving it.

“As I said, she got bitten by a boar. Passed out a few hours later. Before she did so she said your name, and I assumed she wanted me to bring her to you. Can you help her?”

“I hope,” Teb answered, looking Aloy over and noticing the bloodied tunic on her right side.

“Done this before?”

“Well, I’m a Stitcher. Not a healer. But I’ve helped out during some battles, including the one at the Spire. I have some experience at least, also with infected wounds,” Teb answered. At his words, the man’s eyes lit up.

“You were at the Spire? A wonderful fight, wasn’t it? My bow cherishes the Eclipse as enemies, bandits don’t even remotely compare to them. A shame they are all gone, now. No more of their nests to cleanse from this world,” he said, and Teb blinked incredulously at the man when he realized that he meant it.

“You... must be Nil, right? Aloy told me about you.”

“I am. And you are the dressmaker she hunts for? Her _partner_?” Nil asked back, and something flaring up in his very bright, grey eyes sent a shiver through Teb. So Aloy had told him about their arrangement, and if she had really used the word _partner_ … It heated up his cheeks, but wasn’t enough to chase away the cold dread that had closed around his heart like a chain ever since he had seen her prone form.

“In a way, yes,” Teb replied carefully and placed a hand on Aloy’s forehead. As he had expected, she was burning with fever and shivered like a leaf. When he bent down to touch her throat he was relieved to notice a steady heartbeat, at least. He had to do something to get the fever down, but first he needed to clean the wound.

“Help me take off her armor,” Teb asked Nil, moving to her right arm first.

“Oh, that’s what it’s going to be like, huh, little dressmaker?” Nil rasped with a tone that made Teb’s head snap up.

“She is _sick_ ,” he said indignantly, “and I need these plates out of the way to clean her wound. Nothing… nothing more.”

At that, a disturbing mixture of disappointment and an unspoken threat flashed across Nil’s startlingly cold eyes, but he relented and helped Teb to remove Aloy’s armor bit by bit until she was only wearing her tunic and thin trousers.

“Well…” Teb said, eyeing her bloodied side. “We need to keep her warm. I’ll start washing her wound, and you could fetch me a warmer blanket for her. She has a stash of spare wool blankets on her shelf over there.” He pointed to the shelf Aloy had claimed for herself over the almost two months they had worked together.

Nil didn’t react as Teb had expected.

“ _What_? Aloy sleeps here? In that bed, with _you_?” he hissed, and Teb startled backwards a step when he saw the expression on the man’s face. Nil’s eyes spelled murder, and his hand went to the knife on his belt.

Teb swallowed, feeling like walking a tightrope over a lake full of Snapmaws. He realized Nil had a horribly short temper and seemed to have certain… desires for Aloy, like she had already hinted at when she had told Teb about the sport-warrior one evening when they had chatted over dinner. Teb clenched his fists to stop them from trembling. Careful, now, he told himself.

“No, no. Aloy doesn’t like soft beds. She sleeps on the floor over there, on the mat,” Teb replied.

“But she lives here with you?”

Nil’s eyes still bore into Teb’s as if he was a mouse and Nil a hungry hawk.

“Well, I guess she does… Just to make business easier,” Teb hurried to say, trying not even to think of all the hours of talking spent together, the casual touches Aloy and him had come to exchange, as if Nil was able to read his mind and get even more jealous.

Nil searched Teb’s face as if to see if he was lying.

“We need to take care of Aloy now. Alright?” Teb said carefully, squirming inwardly, but managing to stay calm on the outside.

Nil huffed.

“Fine.”

Finally, Nil went to fetch a warm blanket, and Teb breathed out. He spread a thin cover over Aloy’s legs up to her hips, then gently rolled up the seam of her tunic to expose her stomach. The wound was located under her ribs and Teb gently wiped away the blood and the dried crust of herbs that Aloy had already applied with a wet towel. He was relieved to see that the bite was not too deep, but the red, swollen flesh around it indicated a bad inflammation.

He cleaned the wound until all dirt, coagulated blood and remaining herbs were removed, deciding that it was too shallow to sew it closed. Teb went over to the kitchen and produced a container with something he had kept in stock for an occasion as this, as well as a small bottle of a strong spirit of Oseram making. He brought it over to Aloy just when Nil returned with a thick woolen blanket.

“Thanks,” Teb said, using the first blanket to drape it over Aloy’s upper body and the warm, woolen one to spread it over her legs so that her stomach remained uncovered. He dropped some of the alcohol on a piece of cloth and wiped the edges of the wound. Then he opened the container, and upon seeing its contents Nil’s face contorted with disgust.

“That looks and smells like rotten food,” he commented.

“It’s mildewed bread,” Teb replied. He took some of the bread out, dipped it into cold herbal tea and kneaded it into a soft paste.

“… Why? I mean, I’ve seen and used my fair share of poisons at war, but if you want to kill her you should come up with something less odorous,” Nil joked, and Teb wasn’t quite sure if dark humor like that was appropriate, but a glance at Nil’s weapons prevented him from pointing that out.

“It clears the inflammation,” Teb replied.

“You Nora folks truly have some odd habits. You make wonderful arrows, though.”

Teb ignored that and focused on his work as he gently covered Aloy’s wound with the paste. Nil watched as Teb carefully spread the mildewed bread a little further over her skin, and then applied a salve made of honey and the essential oil of medicinal herbs. He didn’t feel comfortable at all with that other man watching his every action as if he was waiting for him to make a wrong move. When Teb pushed the seam of Aloy’s tunic a little further up to reveal more of her ribs and spread the salve, Nil’s hand shot forward like a striking snake and grabbed Teb’s wrist.

“I don’t like what you do there, dressmaker. It looks a lot like quackery to me, and a nice reason for you to touch her while she’s unconscious,” Nil growled.

Something in Teb _screamed_ with protest, and before he could think about it he slapped Nil’s hand away.

Nil’s head jerked up, and his eyes were cold steel. Teb held his breath, but forced himself to hold the stare.

“I would _never_ do that. I’m helping her. I thank you for bringing her here, but, with all respect, I’d prefer if you let me work alone,” Teb said quietly, but with a firm voice.

Nil’s eyes flicked down at the hand Teb had just smacked, then back up to Teb. His threatening stare started to seriously scare Teb, but he told himself to stay strong, for Aloy’s sake.

“You are aware that I have about a dozen ways to kill you right now, dressmaker?” Nil said very quietly.

Teb breathed in and inwardly prayed to All-Mother for his voice not to tremble. “I am. And I hope you are aware that I have the medicine and knowledge to keep Aloy alive.”

Nil blinked, said nothing for a long moment. He finally shrugged carelessly.

“Alright, fine. I’ll leave you to it. If you really want to keep all the fun for yourself…” he replied, his voice dripping of sarcasm.

Teb gasped, a rush of indignation bubbling up inside him.

“I would _never_ take advantage of her. Aloy trusts me.”

 _I hope she does_ , he added inwardly. _Doesn’t she?_

“If you say so. Make sure she survives this. Would be a shame for her to die like this, and not in a battlefield covered in blood that is not her own. I’ll be at the tavern. Tell me as soon as she gets better.”

He turned to leave, and once more Teb let out a breath he’d been holding for way too long. Nil left and closed the door behind him, and Teb waited until his footsteps had disappeared before he returned to his task.

He sat down by Aloy’s side and gently laid his palm across her forehead. It was still hot and he covered it with a cloth soaked it cold water. She had stopped shivering, at least.

Teb regarded Aloy’s sleeping form, her face, her hair, and let out a quiet sigh.

He loved this girl more than he could ever wrap his mind around.

It wasn’t so much because of the fact that Aloy had saved his life, when they were still children. Teb hadn’t been in love with her just then, young as they both were, but he’d been so deeply impressed with her selflessness that he’d never forgotten that day, determined to pay back the dept he owed the outcast girl, somehow, at some point. When Aloy finally showed up for the Proving and Teb met her again, he’d been stunned by the strong, charismatic woman the defiant little girl had grown up to. Even before getting to know Aloy better and finding out she was caring, compassionate, determined and brave, he had been utterly fascinated with her, and that fascination had grown more and more. Teb had never believed in love at first sight, but in his own case he found himself proven wrong, ironically.

He’d found himself willing to go to any lengths helping her in her quest, and be it only by the small contributions he was able to make as a Stitcher. Seeing Aloy again over the course of events every now and then had never failed to rekindle the fire in his heart, and relieved him of the worry that she might have gotten hurt. Teb knew Aloy would not hesitate to die for the greater cause, and it filled him with awe him as much as he was scared that she would not come back, at some point. He would do the best he could to help her now, no matter the cost. It was the least he could do in return for everything she had done for him.

Aloy mumbled quietly in her sleep as if having a fever dream, and Teb gently wiped the sweat from her brow with a wet towel. Her face was showing her struggle with the sickness, her expressive eyes shut tightly and her beautifully curved lips slightly parted. Teb sighed and dipped the cloth into cold water again before draping it over her forehead.

She was incredibly beautiful even like this, he found, and felt almost guilty for the thought. Teb was fully aware that he wasn’t the only one to think like this, and he knew Aloy was surrounded by a flock of suitors. He’d watched when Varl was talking to her, later Petra, and he was sure there’d been a lot more, judging by the looks she got when joining him at the market stand. It didn’t so much fill him with jealousy as it might have if he had believed to have even the ghost of a chance with her. The thing that had surprised him at first was how Aloy reacted to any kind of romantic advances, no matter how charming the other person acted. She didn’t seem to be interested at all, and more bolt flirting she usually warded off with biting sarcasm.

Considering that, Teb would have never dared to hope for the _closeness_ Aloy and him had achieved over the past months. And that with _him_ , of all people, not with some seasoned warrior armed to the teeth, but him…

Knowing Aloy, Teb felt that he should have guessed she was not that easily impressed by muscles, archery skills and big game trophies. She could easily outclass any self-proclaimed master hunter when it came to that, anyway.

Still, Aloy’s willingness to spend time with him, share food and thoughts with him, filled Teb with a happiness and hope he could never put into words – the casual touches, the head massages, the evenings they spent just watching the sky, drinking tea together as if there was no place in the world they’d rather be. After the battle, Teb had been so sure to never see Aloy again because there was nothing else he could help her with after she had mended the world, but when he had decided to settle down in Meridian it hadn’t been only because of those personal reasons, but also because there still was a small, but bright flicker of hope inside him that Aloy might cross his path. That it actually had happened, that they even _lived_ together now, in a way, and shared those intimacies, as chaste as they might be, still made Teb believe he was dreaming, sometimes.

Teb was fully aware that this close friendship might be where Aloy drew the line, and he would never pressure her into more. Of course, deep inside, he had those hopes, those desires – he would give Aloy _anything_ if she asked for it, his body, his entire self, without hesitation, anything to make her happy – but if _this_ , the gentle touches, the shared meals on the balcony, were all she needed, Teb would be satisfied with that. If it never got to more than that it would be fine, because he had met the love of his life, and he was thankful for just knowing her. Being able to spend time with Aloy was more Teb had ever dared to dream of, and he cherished every second.

 _I know you’ve never cared much about this, Aloy… But may All-Mother protect you now, and let you heal fast_ , he thought firmly. He certainly would do his outmost to help it along.

Teb gently wiped her forehead again and placed another log in the embers despite the room already feeling hot like an oven – Aloy needed all warmth she could get now. When he was done, he quickly returned to her side, squatting on the floor next to the bed. Teb checked her wound and finally covered it with a clean cloth, satisfied when the red edges of the inflammation didn’t seem to have grown. When he rearranged the blanket he noticed how dusty her arms and feet were, though. Looking her over more thoroughly, Teb spotted some minor cuts, maybe from the fight or the rough ride back to Meridian.

Teb frowned thoughtfully. The small scratches were nothing serious, but as prone as Aloy was now, he shouldn’t risk allowing the infection to spread. Of course he couldn’t undress her entirely – he would never even think of taking advantage of her situation. But he could reach her arms, and her legs up to her ankles, so he dipped a clean towel into warm water and gently rubbed both her arms, feet and after a moment of hesitation also her neck until they were clean of dust. Then he applied the healing salve on every little cut he could see.

A part of him enjoyed touching her, enjoyed looking at her flat stomach and trim curves, her feminine, athletic shape while she slept, and Teb cursed himself for feeling like he did. He would _never_ even think about doing anything without Aloy’s explicit consent, but he couldn’t help the heat pooling low in his stomach whenever he so much as heard her voice, let alone touched her. He couldn’t tend to her wounds with his eyes closed, anyway. It was his secret, most intimate hope, finally seeing Aloy sharing his bed, but he would accept if it stayed what it was – a fantasy, because Teb would never pressure Aloy into anything she didn’t want. Still, Nil’s accusation had hurt like an arrow to his chest, and Teb was determined to not betray the trust Aloy put in him.

Sighing to himself and knowing that he couldn’t change his own feelings and desires, Teb focused on gently spreading salve over the last cut on one of her slender feet before carefully covering Aloy in the warm, woolen blanket again. Outside, the stars were hidden behind stormy clouds and the first raindrops splattered on the balcony. Teb yawned. It must have been after midnight by now.

As much as he wanted to stay up the entire night and watch over Aloy by the light of the fireplace, he knew he would need his strength tomorrow to take care of her. It wouldn’t do to exhaust himself until he dropped in case she suddenly woke up and needed help, so Teb stripped down to a simple tunic and soft pants much like Aloy’s and went to his wash bowl to get ready for sleep.

Realization hit him when he was already halfway to the bed.

He couldn’t just sleep there next to her, could he…?

Teb blinked, frowning. He eyed Aloy’s sleeping corner, not more than a few furs and pillows, with reluctance. From his days following the war party from the Embrace to Meridian, he knew that he barely got any sleep if he didn’t have a proper bed. His back was not made to lie on unrelenting ground, and he knew that if he slept on Aloy’s spot he’d be a wreck tomorrow.

Teb hesitated another moment, then made a decision. Blushing heavily and stubbornly trying to ignore his treacherous stomach fluttering with excitement, he slipped under the covers next to Aloy, trying to keep as much of a respectful distance to her as possible without falling off the side. Luckily, his bed was quite large, and there was almost half an arm’s length between them, so he wouldn’t accidentally get in touch with her.

He just hoped that she wouldn’t hold a grudge against him once she woke.

 _If she wakes_ , his stressed mind supplied unhelpfully, and Teb regarded Aloy’s sleeping form from where he lay next to her. On an impulse, he reached out, his hand stopping in mid air between them. Hesitating, his thoughts ran loose – what if she didn’t want it, what if she got disappointed with him, _what if Nil was right_? – and he drew his hand back again, turning around and forcing his eyes closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trick with the mildewed bread Teb uses here is a thing. In ancient Egyptian medicine it was found out that mildewed bread clears wounds and stops infections from spreading due to the antibiotic properties (including penicillin) the fungi possess.


	7. Chapter 7

VII.

Aloy awoke within a haze of headache and aching muscles.

She felt as if she had had to endure a ride at full gallop strapped backwards to a Strider, and her right side was enveloped in a dull throbbing pain. Still, she was warm, and she was lying on a soft, comfortable surface.

 _What has happened again last time I was awake_ …? Aloy asked herself, experimentally moving her legs. _Come on, think…_

Her eyes snapped open in realization as her mind finally supplied her with memories.

Nil, the hunt, then the boar, the bite… Did she make it to Meridian then?

Aloy grunted with effort as she carefully lifted her head, blinking in the dim morning sunlight. Relief flooded her when she realized she was no longer somewhere in the wilderness, but in Teb’s apartment, and she allowed herself to lay back again with a soft sigh. So Nil had made it, somehow. Aloy closed her eyes and took a moment just breathing in and out, relishing the familiar, calming scent of leather and beeswax. Her head still hurt and she felt slightly feverish, but not as bad as it was before she had passed out.

_Wait, I’m not lying on my blanket, am I?_

When Aloy opened her eyes again, now finally back to most of her senses, she noticed she was lying in Teb’s bed. Turning her head revealed that Teb was there, too, lying at half an arm’s length next to her.

He was still sleeping, curled up on his left side so he was facing her. When Aloy looked at his face, she noticed that the skin around his eyes was somewhat darker than usual, and his elegant eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if he’d had a restless night. Aloy could very well guess where that came from, now that she was awake and bit by bit noticed all the little patches of healing salve on her skin and the bandage around the bite. So Teb had done his outmost to tend to her fever and injuries, just like she had hoped. Like she had _known_ he would.

Aloy, reeling with a strange, warming sensation she wasn’t quite sure how to deal with, bit her lip and reached out to him, gently grabbing Teb’s bare arm.

“Teb?” she whispered, shaking him carefully.

Teb grumbled and stirred, and another shake caused him to open drowsy green eyes. Upon seeing that she was awake, he jerked his head up, and his astonished expression turned into a relieved smile.

“Aloy! You’ve woken up!” he mumbled happily. “How are you feeling? Are you in pain?”

Aloy managed a smile and carefully shook her head. “It’s not too bad. I’m okay, given the circumstances. Still a little dizzy.”

Teb nodded. “Do you need anything?”

“Some water would be nice,” Aloy admitted. Her throat felt dry as desert sand.

“Of course. I’ll also get some hot water going for tea. And we should take a look at your wound, see if the dressing needs changing…” Teb said, his voice trailing behind him as he slipped out of the bed and staggered, still sleepy, towards the kitchen. He returned soon with a cup of fresh water and handed it to her. Aloy downed it in one go, and he took her cup to refill it.

After drinking half of the second one, Aloy felt significantly better. Teb stood on the side of the bed, apparently unsure if he was allowed to join her again. Aloy had to fight a smile.

“Sit down Teb, you are making me nervous,” she said with the corner of her mouth twitching up. Blushing, Teb joined her on the bed again, sitting down cross-legged on the rumpled spot where he had slept next to her.

“Aloy, I… I’m so glad you’re alright,” he said eventually, and in his eyes Aloy could see just _how much_ he meant it, with all his heart. She smiled at him.

“Sorry for scaring you, Teb. So… I assume Nil brought me here and filled you in on what happened?”

Teb nodded. “He told me. He managed to bring you in on the Strider, and I did what I could. I just hope it was enough.”

“Where is he now?” Aloy wanted to know, suddenly anxious that Nil had treated Teb in some way that had upset him, because Teb’s expression had turned into something very guarded once she’d mentioned the Carja. Not that Aloy felt responsible for Nil’s actions, but she knew how unpredictable he was. And how… clingy.

“He’s waiting at the tavern. I asked him to let me work, last night, after thanking him. He risked a lot to bring you here, I suppose, but he didn’t seem all too familiar with the ways of healing, if you don’t mind me saying.”

Aloy grinned sarcastically. “I don’t mind. You don’t know just how right you are.”

Teb canted his head a little. “Nil certainly is…”

“… Insane? A psychopath? A dangerous maniac to whom killing is little more than a hobby?” Aloy finished for him, grinning lopsidedly.

“… _special_ , I was about to say,” Teb relented, but he grinned as well, chuckling softly. Suddenly, his expression turned worried again, and he seemed to struggle with his words. Aloy fell silent and held her breath when she saw his eyes, and just how much whatever he was about to say seemed to unsettle him.

“Aloy… Last night, Nil said something… He said… He accused me I would take advantage of your unconsciousness, when I was tending to your wounds. He accused me I would touch you, you know, without you wanting…”

Teb broke off, looking absolutely miserable. He shook his head helplessly. “… I would never do that. Please Aloy, I would never… I mean, I washed your wounds, and the dirt from your feet and hands, and your neck, but I would never… You know… Do more. Unless it is wanted. I mean…”

A violent blush had spread over Teb’s cheeks, and he stopped again, averting his eyes and staring at his clenched hands in his lap.

 Seeing him like this almost broke Aloy’s heart.

“I know, Teb. I know you wouldn’t, and I know you’ve only done what was needed to keep me alive. How could I hold a grudge on you for that? Forget what Nil said. He couldn’t be more wrong, Teb,” Aloy said firmly. She really needed to have a talk with Nil about treating Teb like that, she thought grimly.

Teb’s sad, green eyes met hers again, hope flaring up in them like a sunrise.

“You trust me, Aloy?”

Aloy blinked at him, then smiled. “Of course I do. I’d trust you with my life, Teb.”

And he had just proven, not for the first time, that he deserved her trust.

Out of an impulse, she reached out with her hand, holding it out to him. Teb stared at it for a heartbeat, then gently took it with his. His warm, slender fingers entwined with hers.

They remained like that for a long moment, holding hands. Aloy felt like a lot was spoken in that moment, but without words, the gaze they exchanged more than enough to be understood.

“Thank you, Teb,” she said quietly, unconsciously reveling at how their hands fit together. “For helping me. You’ve probably saved my life, again. You’ve more than repaid that time I saved you, when we were kids.”

Teb’s eyes were utterly sincere. “There is nothing to repay, Aloy. I’d gladly do it again. Anything to help you.”

Aloy nodded, and she knew he would keep his word.

Eventually, Teb blushed and squirmed a little, and Aloy let go of his hand, smirking when Teb cleared his throat with a shy smile playing around his lips.

“Another thing, Aloy… Do you mind that I slept here in the bed…? I didn’t mean…”

He broke off, but Aloy understood. If it was any other man but Teb, she’d had expected that man to sleep next to her because of _other_ reasons, reasons that included certain body parts of hers. But this was Teb, so Aloy didn’t mind. The thought surprised her almost a little, since even so much as thinking about sleeping next to another person, vulnerable and prone, usually unsettled her, but not now, not with Teb. Not at all.

“I know your attitude towards sleeping on hard surfaces. It’s alright, really. I don’t mind,” Aloy reassured him, and Teb visibly breathed out. Seeing how much it had bothered him was truly touching. She tried sitting up a little, and gasped when the wound on her flank protested angrily.

“I should change the dressing,” Teb suggested, rushing over to the kitchen corner to fetch his supplies.

Aloy nodded, gritting her teeth at the sting. When Teb sat down on the mattress next to her, she pushed down the blanket. Teb slowly rolled up the seam of her tunic, careful not to expose any more than absolutely necessary, she noticed. He gently peeled off the cloth and dressing, and Aloy made a face when she saw the bitemark. It certainly looked as painful as it had felt.

“Well… It’s not pretty, but the infection hasn’t spread. The sore area has gotten smaller,” Teb commented satisfied, gently prodding at Aloy’s stomach. “Does this hurt?”

“No.”

“Good. Let me apply new herbs and salve.”

Teb carefully applied a mush of mildewed bread and herbal essences – something that Aloy was vaguely familiar with, but had never been injured badly enough to need it – and held still, intent on showing Teb that she was comfortable with his contact. Soon after, he was done and handed Aloy a cup of tea. It was sage sweetened with honey, and when she drank it she felt invigorated enough to notice how sweaty she was, and how long it had been since she’d had the chance to wash. Two days before the hunt, she realized with a grimace.

“Teb, you mentioned something of washing me?” Aloy asked.

Back at the fireplace, Teb flinched so hard he almost dropped the kettle.

“I… I washed your hands and feet. And your neck. You said… You said you didn’t mind,” he mumbled, and Aloy had to laugh.

“I don’t mind, really. It’s just that you didn’t get to wash the rest of me, understandably. I think I can at least get up and make the way to the washbowl and back. Would you fetch me clean undergarments from my stash?”

Teb’s brow furrowed. “You are still sick, Aloy. I’d prefer if you stay put, to be honest.”

“I’m reeking like a dead Trampler, Teb.”

“No, you don’t. You…” Teb broke off, and blushed. “I don’t think you smell bad.”

Aloy felt her lips stretching into a smile. “In that case your nose doesn’t seem to work. I mean it. Help me up, would you?”

Teb hurried over and steadied Aloy as she got up from the bed. She held onto his shoulder, slightly annoyed at how wobbly her legs were, but determined to make it. It was just a few steps, anyway.

“Can you walk?”

“U-huh.”

Her answer was a little strained and her head swam, but Aloy managed to get to Teb’s washbowl and closed the curtain behind her. One of Meridian’s many boons certainly was the much improved hygienic system compared to Nora culture – there always was fresh water, and wastewater disposal worked much more efficiently due to channels and tubes connected to lakes and rivers. Aloy stripped carefully and washed as much of her body as she could reach, reveling in the floral scent of Teb’s soap. Steps approaching the curtain made her tense up.

“Aloy? Don’t worry, I won’t come in. I have a spare set of undergarments here. I’ll put them under the curtain.”

Teb pushed a neatly folded pile of clothes under the curtain so Aloy could change into something clean. Afterwards, feeling much better, Aloy carefully staggered back to the bed, not protesting when Teb gently took her arm and shoulder to help her settle down. Once she was lying again, her head pounded and she was almost out of breath. She was far from fine yet, she knew.

Teb’s palm gently pressed on her forehead, and she closed her eyes at the touch, not entirely out of exhaustion.

“It’s much better than yesterday, but still feverish. You’ll have to rest for a few days at least,” Teb judged.

Aloy was about to protest, but an especially painful throb of her wound changed her mind. “Gladly…”

Teb covered her with the warm blanket again. “Rest a little, maybe get some sleep. I’ll go find Nil and talk to him, he’ll want to know you’re okay. Also I need to at least show up at the market to tell people I’m not selling today.”

Aloy opened heavy eyes again. “You’re not working? But I have your Longleg wings and Behemoth lenses…”

Teb let out his soft, heartfelt laugh. “I’m taking the day off and stay at home. And tomorrow as well. The customers can wait. I’m staying with you to make sure you’ll heal fast.”

Aloy blinked, feeling a little uncomfortable, as she usually did when somebody offered more than she felt she was allowed to take. “That’s… not going to be necessary.”

Teb’s eyes widened when he noticed her change of expression. He sat down on the edge of the bed. After a moment of hesitation, he gently placed his hand on hers.

“Aloy… It’s no problem, really. I know you don’t like the feeling of depending on help, or causing effort, but I do it gladly. Would you rather I’m at the market worrying myself sick all day?”

There was a mixture of both humor and sincerity in his deep, golden-green eyes, and Aloy felt her concern melt away. Teb knew her so well, she realized not for the first time. It was because he listened, and watched. Because he _cared_ , he truly did.

“Well… You’d scare away all your customers with your bad mood. I can’t allow that.”

She sighed, allowing herself a smile. “Stay here, then.”

Teb mirrored her smile. “I won’t hover around you too much, I promise. I’ll work on commissions and stock up.”

He got up and handed Aloy a cup of water before he put his boots on.

“I’ll be at the market, just a short while. When I’m done talking to Nil, would you… Do you want to see him, or should I ask him to stay away for now? I’m not sure I can stop him if he really wants to come here…”

His face was a little worried, and Aloy rolled her eyes when she thought of Nil’s overzealous readiness to draw his weapons. She really needed a talk with him.

“Please let Nil come here. I really have a bone to pick with him for what he said to you, Teb.”

Teb nodded, shot her another half worried, half caring smile, and left.

Aloy lay back in the soft bed and closed her eyes, feeling her tiredness taking over.

 _I have to admit, his bed is quite comfortable_ … Aloy mused before she drifted off.

-

Aloy was woken up by the sound of the door opening. She blinked in the sunlight and sat up, greeted by Teb’s slightly worried smile and the much less comforting sight of Nil in full armor, striding in behind Teb as if he was guarding a hostage. Teb was slightly shorter and so much more slender compared to Nil’s muscular bulk and broad shoulders, but Aloy still couldn’t help but feeling her chest warming up with comfort when she saw him.

“Hi, Aloy,” Teb said when he arrived at the bed. “Doing okay?”

“I’m surviving,” she replied.

Teb nodded. “I’ll make you some broth and bread, if you like.”

Shooting Nil one last, careful glance, Teb retreated to the kitchen corner to leave Nil and Aloy some time to talk. Nil stepped up to the bed and spent a long moment just scanning her up and down.

Eventually, Aloy raised one eyebrow. “What?”

“I just imagined what you’d look like if you’d die in this bed. A sad sight, mind you. Don’t get me wrong, you are still gorgeous, but it’s nothing compared to imagining you on a battlefield, soaked in your enemies’ blood,” Nil said almost dreamily, making a face as if delivering a romantic compliment. “I’m glad you made it.”

Aloy shivered. “Charming. Still, I… would like to thank you, Nil. If you hadn’t brought me here it might have been my last hunt.”

“Of course. That’s what partners are for, right?” Nil replied with that special, slightly unhinged smirk of his.

“Nil, I hate to break it to you, but we are no partners. Teb and I are partners, we have a business. I thank you a lot for the help, though,” Aloy said as slowly and firmly as she could to get the point across. She knew Nil would ignore most of what she said anyway, but she wanted to try at least. “Speaking of which… Don’t talk to Teb like that again, alright? He would never do what you accused him of. He is my friend and has my full trust.”

Nil shot her a strange glance, as if contemplating whether to ignore her words or not.

“The traveling huntress and her docile, stay at home dressmaker. It’s almost absurd, you know? In a Carja household, this wouldn’t be acceptable,” Nil commented.

Aloy struggled not to furrow her brow, and managed to turn it into her sweetest smile, dripping of sarcasm. “Luckily, Teb and I are no Carja household. And you would rather see me as a stay at home homekeeper?”

Nil blinked, his lopsided grin back in place. “No, I see you standing on a pile of corpses, with a smile on your face. Don’t deny it, we’ve been there. I meant… You are aware of the looks he shoots you, right? And the way you look back? Are you sure… you know. Really, _this_ guy? Aren’t you getting bored?”

Aloy was not entirely certain what Nil meant by that, or how to react to it. It must have been his surprise at Teb’s profession, one that had little to nothing to do with warfare or hunting, she mused. Her gaze flicked to Teb for a heartbeat, seeing him carefully choosing herbs for her tea, then back to Nil. The past months rushed through her mind within a few moments, the peace of mind she had experienced when spending time with Teb, and the answer was incredibly simple.

“No, I’m doing fine, and yes, this guy. Teb makes great armor and has a good use for the resources I gather. I… don’t expect you to understand. Again, Nil, thanks for the help. I’m going to stay put here for a while, until I’m healed.”

Nil shot Aloy a strange glance, as if she had somehow misunderstood his question. He seemed to consider rephrasing it, but then just quickly shook his head and a heartbeat later his worrying smile snapped back into place.

“Looks like you’re not up for excitement any time soon. We’ll meet again, machine hunter. I’ll be on my way, anticipating our next encounter. Farewell, Aloy. Farewell, dressmaker!” he exclaimed, tapping a salute against his helmet, his last words directed at Teb.

Teb flinched, but nodded to him. Nil turned, grabbed his gear and left the apartment without any more words, just like he always did.

Aloy lay back in her pillow and sighed, half because of the relief she felt now that Nil was gone again, and half because her head throbbed. She looked up when Teb came trotting over from the kitchen corner, a steaming bowl in his hands.

“Did you sort things out with Nil?” he wanted to know politely, as always the epitome of gentle innocence and apparently not even holding a grudge against the Carja.

“There is no such thing as _sorting things out_ with Nil. But yes, I thanked him, I told him not to talk to you like that again, and he’s on his way. Always busy,” Aloy replied. “What’s that?”

“Meat broth. And some nut bread, if you like. You really need to get something warm and rich inside your stomach,” Teb said, handing her the bowl of broth.

Aloy’s appetite had improved a little after she had slept, and she sniffed at the bowl with a sigh of pleasure. It was so thick it was almost opaque, and on the golden-brown surface swam little drops of grease. It smelled absolutely delicious.

She ate her broth in careful spoonfuls, every now and then nibbling at the nut bread. Teb watched for a moment until he was sure Aloy was fine, then busied herself with working at commissioned garments. He searched Aloy’s satchel for the Behemoth lenses and Longleg wings she had set out to gather in the first place, and was thrilled by the quality of it, even though his eyebrows peaked a little when he glanced over at her, and the condition she was in now because of the hunt.

Aloy waved it off as hazard of the profession and continued eating, still shooting him a thankful smile. When she was done, Teb made her a tea and continued stitching a sleeve on a dress. Aloy sipped her tea, her eyelids feeling heavy, and watched his calming, deft hand movements until she fell asleep.

It was dark outside when she was woken up once more. Teb gently shook her shoulder, whispering her name as loudly as he could.

“Aloy! Oh, you’re awake. Sorry, I just… It’s getting late, and I’d really like to go to sleep, but… I wanted to check…”

In the dim light of one last candle, Aloy could see Teb’s face hovering over her, his eyebrows drawn together in concern. She blinked, trying to make sense of what he was saying, but then she understood.

Teb was asking if he could join her in bed again, like he had done last night when Aloy was still feverish and barely noticed what was going on around her. Now, she was a lot more aware of her surroundings and another person lying next to her, and even though she appreciated that he asked her for her consent first, she found that she didn’t mind at all.

“Be quiet and get in here,” Aloy murmured and rolled over to make some space for Teb. She could almost _hear_ him blush and had to grin when picturing his face. A moment later, the bed dipped slightly as Teb crawled under the blanket with her, curling up in a respectful distance away.

Aloy fell asleep again, and the last thing she heard was Teb’s soft breathing close to her.

-

It took over a week for Aloy to overcome the sickness. She stayed in bed most of the time, and even though Teb knew exactly she itched to get going again he was thankful that she heeded his advice and allowed herself to take more time to heal than necessary rather than too little.

Teb was glad that her infection and wound stabilized quickly and healed fast, but a small part of him was also disappointed. He felt selfish for the thought alone, but he enjoyed pampering Aloy, bringing her tea and food and rubbing herbal oil on her temples to soothe her headaches. Most of all, Teb enjoyed sharing a bed with her, even though it wasn’t more than lying next to each other when they slept.

It had taken him some time to adapt to this rapid change in closeness. More often than not Teb had to take care sleeping on his side with his back turned to Aloy so she wouldn’t notice any treacherous body parts of his, something he couldn’t fight even if he tried. The mere thought of Aloy lying next to him, hearing her soft breathing, feeling the mattress dip when she rolled over and catching her enticing scent every now and then, was enough to make it necessary for Teb to hide his arousal. In the mornings, when Aloy was still in bed, he would usually take care of this problem by sneaking to the washbowl and using a lot of cold water.

Before Aloy had gotten sick, Teb had gotten used to waiting until she was out for longer hunts to relief himself of some of the built up tension. He thought of Aloy when giving himself pleasure, even though it ashamed him sometimes, but Teb found that thinking of any other person simply didn’t do the trick, so he relented, and allowed his mind to wander like it pleased.

His fantasies never involved him dominating Aloy or anything like that, he respected her way too much to even indulge in the thought. Teb usually simply lay down on his back and imagined her on top of him when he touched himself, allowing Aloy access to everything he could give, picturing her as she was enjoying herself thoroughly. Teb knew it was just a desperate hope, one that would most probably never become fulfilled, but he was aware of that and respected Aloy’s boundaries. When Teb touched himself, something that happened quite rarely in general, it was less about pining for Aloy’s closeness and mostly out of concern for her comfort, since he wanted to avoid Aloy noticing his arousal, and releasing some of the tension made it a lot easier. 

Teb firmly believed that if all Aloy asked for to be content was their deep friendship and the chaste closeness they already had grown comfortable with, he would gladly take it and be happy with it.

It had always been like that, but with Aloy actually lying next to Teb as of lately his carefully hidden desire had become a problem more often than before. Sometimes, at night, Aloy would accidentally scoot closer to him so their backs touched, or their legs. One time she had even flopped an arm on his belly while she was sleeping. Teb had been almost ashamed by how long he allowed her hand to rest on the cloth of his undertunic, reveling in the sheer feel of her warm palm on his body, before he had gently grabbed her wrist and removed her hand. He was very sure that these accidental little touches happened without Aloy intending them to happen, but Teb also knew it indicated a level of trust she felt for him that he was beyond proud of. Still, his body betraying him often worried Teb, since he didn’t know how Aloy would react to realizing what she did to him, and he wouldn’t risk making her uncomfortable.

 _At least it will get better once Aloy sleeps on her pile of blankets again_ , _after she’s healed_ , Teb told himself, a part of him dreading the day she would leave his bed.

With that in mind, what Aloy asked of him after getting well again came almost as a shock for Teb.

-

Aloy firmly kept her gaze trained on Teb’s astonished face, determined to pull through with this now that she had asked him the question. It had taken her a good deal of thinking and arguing with herself, but now it had slipped out, and she wanted him to know that she meant it.

Eventually, blushing violently, Teb managed to answer.

“… Of course you can keep sleeping in the bed, Aloy. I… I don’t mind, there’s enough space for two. But… I had assumed you don’t like soft beds?”

Aloy took a breath, trying to explain herself.

“I got used to it, in a way. I have to admit I like it, it’s a lot more comfortable than I thought. If you don’t mind I’d prefer to sleep in the bed.”

At that, Teb’s gentle, green-golden eyes shone when he smiled, still blushing. “Of course you can.”

Aloy grinned back. “Perfect, thank you.”

They continued eating their breakfast together, fresh bread from the market and cold turkey roast, while the sun rose outside. The sound of chirping jungle birds and the occasional growl of a Stalker from the valley below drifted in through the open balcony door, mixing with the sound of the awaking city. Aloy was squirming with anticipation; today was the first day she’d go on a hunt again. Both her and Teb had judged her wound to have healed sufficiently, and her fever hadn’t come back for the last three days. She felt rested and eager to get going again after the long break.

As much as taking time to heal usually annoyed Aloy, who was restless by nature, preferring to move and get things done rather than being lazy, she had rather liked sharing a bed with Teb. It had become as normal as the palm placed on the other’s cheek in a soft caress when they bid each other goodbye, or as the casual touches on arms and shoulders they exchanged.

It had quickly become _more_ than normal when Aloy had caught herself enjoying it. She became familiar with the sounds Teb’s body made when he slept, like the rhythm of his breathing or sniffs of his nose, with the occasional touches of feet, legs or their backs that happened when they turned in their sleep. Feeling another warm body next to her was comforting and nice, in this particular case. It was one of those surprising revelations Aloy seemed to experience with Teb often, before that never expecting herself to be willing to sleep next to another person other than Rost when she was little.

When it came to Teb, though…

One night Aloy had draped an arm across Teb’s belly, half-asleep, and it hadn’t entirely been out of accident. She had left it there, deliberately turning her hand so her palm rested on Teb’s stomach and she could feel the rise and fall of his breathing and the lean relief of his muscles. She had felt almost guilty for enjoying touching him as much as she did, and stubbornly squeezed her eyes shut when Teb carefully removed her arm from his belly. Aloy knew that he had done that most probably out of concern and not because he didn’t like it, but after waking up Aloy had still felt somewhat ashamed to being so… _reluctant_ to express her pleasure at being close to him.

 “Would you like another tea?” Teb’s voice startled Aloy out of the reverie she had sunken into when remembering that particular night.

“Sure.”

She held out her cup to him and Teb filled it with the sweet, flower-scented tea again.

“What’s on the list today?” Aloy wanted to know after gently blowing on the steaming surface. Teb placed the teapot back on the table and trotted to his workbench, skimming through a pile of drawings done on the soft, white parchment the Carja artisans made and that Teb had grown to use to sketch out ideas and notes. He picked up a sheet with a list of materials.

“Well, as you know, most of the commissions I finished while you were healing. I think now that you’re out hunting again I can open the regular market stand and sell all the finished items I have piled up. There are a lot, luckily, but I’ve run low on some basic resources like copper wire and spiral joints. And if you could fetch me some lenses here and there, I’d be very thankful, Aloy,” Teb elaborated. His excited expression turned a little lopsided, and he opened his mouth to speak again, but hesitated.

Aloy knew exactly what he was going to say and had to grin sarcastically at his expression. “No, Teb, I won’t try and take on five Ravagers at the same time while shooting at a swarm of Glinthawks with my eyes closed. I promise to take it easy until I’m back in shape, alright?”

Teb let out his soft laugh. “Alright. It’s not that I didn’t like taking care of you, but… I prefer if you’re bursting with energy and ready to take on the world. That’s more the Aloy I know.”

Aloy’s insides heated up, and those flutters were back when she saw Teb’s genuine smile. She smiled back and blamed the warmth in her cheeks on the hot tea.

Less than an hour later, she was getting her gear ready and strapped her weapons to her back. She promised Teb to be back by nightfall, accepted the little lunch package he handed her and said him goodbye with a gentle touch to the cheek. When Aloy galloped over the bridge to the desert on the back of a Broadhead and felt her heart beat in time with the sound of the hoofs, she knew she was back in her element.

-

Over the following weeks, Aloy took down such a high number of machines that Teb quickly had a new stock of resources he could use to make his garments. Most of them were of smaller or medium size since Aloy heeded his explicit wish to wait with the larger game a little until she was back in shape, but after three weeks Aloy tried her luck with a Stormbird and succeeded, satisfied with her own condition and proud to present Teb with a Stormbird lens.

The next day, she set out again and killed a Sawtooth, a Longleg and two of the Grazers it was herding. Her kills gained her two hearts and three lenses, some steel teeth and antlers, wings and an assortment of wires and standard resources. The list was more than complete when the sun started slowly creeping towards the horizon, and Aloy made her way back to Meridian. Before she mounted her Broadhead, she applied some of the salve she had found in Teb’s lunch package to her old wound and some new scratches, touched by his gesture, making sure she still got proper care even with him not being around.

With a wild smile on her face, still flying high on adrenaline from the hunt, she spurred the Broadhead and carried her loot back to the west. Soon, the Sun King’s palace came into view within the amber-colored mist that rose above the jungle in the valley. While she rode, Aloy couldn’t help her thoughts straying back to Teb, and the things she had contemplated as of lately. Her decision to share his bed, something that she hadn’t made out of an impulse, but after careful consideration.

Aloy knew that Teb enjoyed her presence, he’d always shown that openly ever since they met before the proving. The concept of desiring closeness to another person was still something Aloy could neither judge nor explain by experience, but she understood that Teb liked every little touch they had come to exchange so far. He had all but pampered her when she was sick and accepted her offer to keep sharing a bed readily, but Teb had never tried initiating anything more.

Maybe that was the reason Aloy felt comfortable with Teb in ways she usually didn’t care for with any other person.

Aloy trusted Teb entirely in this regard, and she still frowned with anger when thinking of Nil’s accusation towards Teb. She knew Teb would never even think about pressuring her into more than she was willing to allow. He would never try anything more than that unless she asked.

Aloy frowned to herself, confused by the heat pooling low in her stomach at the thought.

_Unless she asked…? Could she…?_

Something inside Aloy tensed up like a slingshot and burnt white-hot, and she blinked when she felt herself blush. That part of her said _yes_.

 _Alright, and what should I ask Teb for?_ Aloy questioned herself, frowning. _I don’t even know what there is, other than what I heard lonely soldiers and drunken Braves brag about. Which never sounded very nice. I don’t even know whether I like anything like that. But with Teb, maybe it’s all different with him…_

Letting her Broadhead settle for a trot, Aloy sighed in frustration and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her hand stayed, seemingly out of its own will, and slowly traced over her cheek down to her jaw, like Teb did when wishing her a good night. Her hand kept moving, brushed down her neck, over her collarbone to her shoulder, and Aloy closed her eyes and imagined just for a moment that it was Teb’s hand, not hers, that caressed warmly over her skin.

Maybe she could ask for something like this…?

_Well, I liked everything we did so far, so…_

Aloy huffed, chiding herself for her indecisiveness, and, for the first time in her life, her inexperience when it came to those intimate matters that required another person. She had never really hugged anyone but Rost and Grand Matriarch Teersa, never kissed anyone, never… done more. Aloy had never cared about other people in this way, and it had never been a problem. Until Teb had come back into her life, and kindled some kind of _glow_ in her, that ever so slowly didn’t quite change Aloy’s mind, but at least made her… curious. Curious to find out what it was.

As she rode back over the bridge to Meridian, Aloy firmly promised herself to contemplate this particular curiosity a little further once she was reunited with Teb.

Her own promise was shattered to pieces when she came back to the apartment.

Aloy went through the door and spotted Teb, halting in shock. Teb was sitting on a stool in front of his workbench, shoulders hunched and his face buried in his hands. He looked absolutely devastated.

“Teb…? Are you okay?” Aloy asked, hurrying over to him.

Teb took in a shuddering breath and shook his head. He didn’t look up when she came over, he just pointed to a crumpled piece of birch-bark on the table. It was a message, it seemed. Aloy frowned. Something seemed to be _very_ wrong. “What’s that?”

Teb breathed in again, and when he spoke his voice trembled. “It… came with an envoy, from the Embrace. My… my father is sick. It’s bad, apparently.”

The revelation hit Aloy like a charging Trampler, and a part of her mind immediately strayed to Rost. Having to blink rapidly and trying to quench her own sorrow welling up in her, she gently laid a hand on Teb’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Teb. Do you think he’s… not going to make it?”

Teb finally looked up again. His eyes were a little glassy, and she could feel him tremble under her hand.

“He’s quite old already, and there’s been that issue with his lungs for the last years,” Teb said quietly. “I… I don’t know. I don’t think he has that much time left.”

Teb sighed, averting his eyes and staring at the crumpled letter in front of him. “I should… I have to go see him. Before…”

Teb broke off again, squeezing his eyes shut. Trying to sound as gentle and comforting as she could, Aloy rubbed his bare shoulder in warm little circles.

“You should definitely go to Mother’s Heart. Your father will be very happy to see you, Teb.”

Teb didn’t look up.

“I’m not sure about that.”

His words were merely a whisper. Aloy struggled to regain her composure, stunned by Teb’s desperate tone.

“Teb… Why would you say that? You’re his son, of course he’d want to see you! And your mother too, wouldn’t she?”

“My mother’s long dead,” Teb said quietly. He looked away again, taking in a shuddering breath. “And my father, he’s… About me… I know I have to go, but I don’t even know whether I can make the journey from the Sundom to the Embrace, all alone. I’d die halfway,” he whispered. His voice sounded like it was about to break.

“I… I didn’t know, Teb. I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to drag up old memories. Look, I’ll accompany you. We do this together. On a mount we’ll be a lot faster, and you don’t need to worry about hostile machines on the way. I know the area very well,” Aloy suggested.

Teb’s eyes met hers again, and Aloy frowned in confusion when she saw not sorrow or sadness in them, but something that looked awfully like _fear_.

 _Teb is scared to go back to the Embrace? Why would he?_ Aloy thought with bewilderment, but decided to not pressure him to tell her right now, unsettled as he was.

“I… Alright. If you’re with me we’ll make it, I’m sure. Thank you, Aloy,” Teb said quietly, and Aloy felt a painful sting in her chest when one of the corners of his mouth twitched into a sad little smile, just for her.

“Of course,” she answered quietly. “Let’s prepare for the journey right away, alright? We can set out tomorrow afternoon if I start stocking up on ammo and food this evening.”

Teb nodded, looking absentminded. “I’ll prepare something to eat for the trail, then. Something that keeps. And tell the people at the market I’ll be away for a while…”

He stood up and trotted over to the kitchen, but there was a heaviness to his usually smooth, careful gait that Aloy had never seen on him before. Her ribcage felt painfully tight when she started preparing arrows and bombs, every now and then looking over to Teb. He was awfully quiet, she noticed, but it didn’t entirely seem to come from worry for his father’s life. There was something Teb didn’t want to tell her, something that seemed to be eating him up from inside, and Aloy didn’t quite know how to deal with his behaviour.

 _He needs my support now, and I’ll do what I can for him_ , Aloy thought firmly, latching a new string on her war bow. _No matter how much it pains me to go back to the place I lived as an outcast, to where Rost died._

_Tomorrow we’ll head out, back to the Embrace._


	8. Chapter 8

VIII.

Teb settled his affairs quickly, handing out a few more finished garments to customers and telling the other merchants that he’d be away for a while. Aloy assumed he didn’t tell them that the reason for his absence was his sick father back in the Embrace, and she didn’t need to ask him. Aloy was sorting her bombs into an ammo bag when Teb came back from the market. She watched as he carefully put his small silver keys, to ones to his stand and home and to the chest for his savings, into the pouch he always wore around his neck. While he did so, his usually so expressive green eyes were dull and he kept staring either into the empty air or at his feet, and seeing him like this made Aloy’s chest ache.

They locked the apartment and made their way out of Meridian in the early afternoon. Outside at the gates, Aloy whistled for a mount, satisfied when a Strider answered her call. They were not as strong in battle as Broadheads or Chargers, but faster, and speed was all they needed now. Aloy attached their luggage to the machine and mounted it.

“Alright, Teb. Climb on behind me,” she said to Teb, scooting forward a little to make some space behind her.

Teb’s eyes widened. “But… Where do I hold onto…?”

“To me, of course. Just put your arms around my waist.”

Teb looked as startled as a spooked Watcher. “Are… are you sure that’s alright?”

Had the situation not been so dire, Aloy would have smiled at his reaction, even now careful not to make Aloy uncomfortable despite his sorrow.

Not that she minded, anymore. Earlier, she would have, but having Teb close to her back was familiar now.

“Of course. Come on, no time to lose.”

Struggling a little, Teb did as she asked and climbed on the Strider behind Aloy, holding onto her waist while carefully minding where his hands rested. Aloy clicked her tongue and spurred the Strider to a trot. She kept the machine slow at first to allow Teb to get used to riding on it. The Strider’s back was not exactly comfortable, but the machine’s soft synthetic muscles made the ride somewhat smoother than it would have been with only metal to sit on. Aloy felt Teb’s grip tense every time the Strider made so much as a tiny jump, but soon she could feel him relax as he learned to balance out the movements of the machine. She spurred the Strider to a gallop.

They rode over the path that wound around the mountains, the orange sands of the desert to their left and the steep slope that led down to the dark green mass of tree canopies to their right. The warm air was thick with the buzz of crickets and smelled of sun-baked rocks and blossoming succulents, but Aloy could hardly enjoy it, her mind focused on the task. She could almost _feel_ Teb worrying behind her, and a solemn silence settled over them. Hours passed without much more talk other than pointing out machine movements in the area, and soon they crossed the mesa. Even though the sun was relentlessly beating down on their skin, Aloy was thankful for the calm, steady weather. A sandstorm was the last thing they needed now. When the sun started to sink, they could already see the settlement of Lone Light at the horizon. Aloy was determined to make it there before they stopped to set up a camp and rest for the night, even though she already started to feel tired.

“How did you make the Strider go slower?” Teb suddenly asked from behind her back.

“Slower? I pull at the cables growing out of its neck, like this.”

Aloy demonstrated how she used the Strider’s overridden cables to control its speed. “And this is how you make it go faster.”

Aloy felt Teb nod. “I noticed that. And you make it turn by only pulling at one side?”

“Exactly. Well observed, Teb.”

His words gave Aloy an idea, and she turned back over her shoulder a little so she could see him.

“Do you think you could ride the Strider as well? If you did, we could take turns, and catch up on some sleep while the other continues. We would be able to ride through a part of the night and save a lot of time,” she suggested.

Teb blinked, and Aloy could see in his eyes that he was scared at the thought of controlling the machine, but even more afraid of the consequences of travelling too slow. They didn’t know how much time they had before his father’s sickness took him, and Aloy could see Teb’s inner struggle.

As he had done in the war before, Teb deeply impressed her by overcoming his own fear. “I’ll try. Let me ride a bit while you are still awake, Aloy, to see how I’m doing. As soon as you decide I’m not going to steer us down a cliff you can get some rest.”

Aloy shot him a smile. “Good. Let’s try, then.”

She stopped the Strider and they swapped places. Aloy climbed onto the machine behind Teb, looping her arms around his slender waist. She could feel Teb tense up a little at her touch, chalking it up to his nervousness.

Teb took in a deep breath, then pressed his thighs into the Strider’s flank and clicked his tongue, and the machine trotted into motion. There was a soft gasp from him when the Strider skipped over a rock, but he managed to keep its direction. Teb pulled the cables to make it walk a few curves left and right, then tried speeding it up a bit. Unprepared for the rapid change of rhythm, Teb tugged at the cables a little too harshly so that the Strider stopped abruptly, whickering in protest.

Aloy was rocked against Teb’s back.

“Whoa, easy,” she chuckled. “Only tug a little if you want it to slow down. Try again.”

“Sorry,” Teb muttered back, and Aloy’s stomach warmed up when she saw him muster a smile as he peeked over his shoulder. Teb repeated the maneuver, letting the Strider walk in a zigzag line to get a feel for the machine’s reactions, and Aloy nodded approvingly when he quickly got the hang of it. Teb wouldn’t be able to spur the machine to full speed in the middle of the night, but they could still make some distance while one of them slept, which was more than she had expected. Aloy relaxed and watched the sun go down, the clouds burning up in a bright crimson. A convoy of Shell-Walkers in the far distance gleamed red in the late evening sunlight, and soon disappeared in the mist rising above the river.

“What if we get attacked?” Teb wanted to know as they made their way past Lone Light over the bridge, Carja soldiers saluting them as they rode past.

“Well… Ideally, don’t let it come to that. If it happens, though, wake me up and try to avoid any conflicts. Striders can get pretty fast, so just outrun enemies,” Aloy said, hoping that none of this would be necessary. Teb had enough to worry about already and could do without fearing for his life, even though Aloy knew he’d stand up to any danger bravely if she was around.

“I’ll try. Have some food, if you want. There’s nut bread in the satchel to your left, and dried meat.”

 _Teb has even bothered to make my favorite food for me_ , Aloy thought as she took a generous bit of a chunk of freshly baked nut bread. The arm she had looped around Teb’s waist to not fall off while she ate tensed a little, not quite unconsciously, and her palm pressed gently against Teb’s stomach, her thumb rubbing small circles over the cloth of his tunic.

Apart from the slightest cant of his head, Teb didn’t react, but Aloy couldn’t feel him flinch away either.

The sky slowly turned from copper red to ink blue, and the desert air grew cold. Mist rose from the river to their left, some blue headlights of a distant herd of Tramplers moving about behind a thicket of crippled trees, long dried out. Aloy, now with a pleasantly full stomach, slumped against Teb’s warm back. The rhythmic pound of hooves of rocky sand lulled her to sleep, and she allowed her eyes to fall closed, her face pressed into the subtle scent of Teb’s skin.

When Aloy woke up again, it was so deep at night the moon was sinking again, and the stars told her it was about two hours before sunrise. She lifted her head, grunting when her back protested after sleeping in a sitting position.

“Oh, you’re awake. If you like, you could ride the next step of the way. If you’ve rested enough, of course,” Teb said, peeking back over his shoulder.

“Sure, no problem,” Aloy came back, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She took in her surroundings and noticed they had almost reached the Greatrun Hunting Grounds, the walls of Daytower already visible in the mountains as dark silhouettes in front of the snow-white slopes. They switched places again and Aloy waited until Teb had wrapped his arms around her waist before she spurred the Strider to a gallop once more.

They rode east for a few more hours, towards the sun rising behind the mountain range. Aloy noticed Teb nestling against her back, soon after feeling his warm breath in the back of her neck when he rested his head against her shoulders to sleep. He kept squirming, though, as if not getting comfortable enough. When one of his jostles caused Aloy to accidentally tug at a cable and make the Strider whicker in protest, she turned back to him.

“This is not very helpful when I’m trying to steer, Teb,” she remarked.

Teb looked up, and his miserable, apologetic expression made Aloy regret snapping at him instantly.

“Sorry, Aloy,” Teb rumbled. “I can’t sleep.”

If it was anyone but Teb, Aloy would have made a rather blunt remark about being spoiled from soft beds in civilized towns, but she could never bring herself to do this to Teb. It wasn’t only because of his endlessly goodhearted, docile nature, but mostly because she knew what kind of worry he must be going through at the moment. When Aloy recalled the night before they had left Meridian, she remembered Teb had merely tossed and turned in bed next to her, unable to rest. Aloy could very well imagine why. If Rost had been sick she would have behaved the same.

“It’s alright, Teb. I didn’t mean to sound angry. Stay awake, then. We’ll ride until we reach Daytower and set up a proper camp. They have tents and bedrolls for travelers outside the gate. I could use some sleep on something that doesn’t move as well.”

Teb nodded, leaning against her back again. Sighing quietly to herself, Aloy spurred the Strider forward. She rode past the Hunting Grounds, passing a herd of Longlegs and Broadheads, then up the narrow path that wound itself up the mountain range. They only stopped to put on another layer of clothes, lined with soft furs, then continued. Aloy managed to bring them to Daytower by noon, the sun chasing some of the chill from the air.

Aloy decided to stock up on fresh water in town after they reached the small open tent outside the Daytower gate, little more than a simple shelter from the snow. When she returned Teb had a fire going and warmed up some soup he had brought with them in a copper kettle. They huddled down with blankets around their shoulders under the shelter, thankful for the warmth, while the mountain winds howled around them.

While they ate, Aloy carefully watched Teb, trying to look past his tired eyes and worried eyebrows. There was something utterly wrong with him, something that ate him up from inside, and she was sure it wasn’t just his worry about his father’s sickness, or that the old man might die before they reached the Embrace. Aloy frowned into her soup, trying to remember the day she met Teb, when he tried to thank her and Rost and was prevented from doing so by his father rushing in with some warriors in tow. Aloy couldn’t remember what he looked like, but she could remember every word Teb’s father had hissed in their direction, careful not to speak to the two outcasts but still making sure they knew the insults were directed to them. He had even violently struck Teb over the back of his head when he tried to explain the situation, and Aloy could imagine Teb had gotten into more trouble after that because of daring to talk to the outcasts.

“I’ve met your father once, but I barely remember him, Teb,” Aloy finally said at one point when she couldn’t take his silence any longer. Teb’s gaze flicked up to her, then down again.

“Well, it was a long time ago. His name is Gered. He was Brave Veteran, back then, and trained young warriors. We… didn’t have the best relationship,” Teb said quietly.

Aloy waited for him to say more, but Teb didn’t seem willing to do so. Aloy frowned, inwardly struggling between asking him to be honest with her already, trying to worm the truth out of him or simply being respecting of his reluctance to tell her. Keeping in mind that Teb had always treated her with nothing but respect, it was easy to settle for the latter.

“I’m… sorry to hear that. How about your mother?”

Teb sighed. “I never met her. Well, I did, in a way. I mean, she gave birth to me, but something went very wrong, and she barely managed to speak my name. Then she died,” he all but whispered. “I would have liked to meet her. Know what she was like.”

Aloy nodded. She had never met her mother in person either, hadn’t known what she was like for the longest time until only recently.

“I know what it feels like, Teb.”

At that, Teb shot her an odd look, fear tainting the gentle green, and he set his bowl aside.

“I know I should try to rest a bit, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep a wink,” Teb murmured, rolling his shoulders. He looked tense as a bowstring from the long ride and the exhaustion. Aloy felt her chest ache when she looked him over, remembering his easy, lighthearted gentleness only a few days before. Teb had been so happy with the life he had, but that seemed a distant memory now.

 _What I’d give to have the old Teb back_ , Aloy mused suddenly and immediately chided herself for her thoughts.

_Huh, less than two days ago I was considering to ask Teb to extend the head massage a bit, and here he is, worried out of his mind, and I’m still thinking about my own wishes._

Aloy felt very selfish all of a sudden. Teb had always been kind and nothing but giving to her, offering her food and shelter and a friendly ear for her thoughts whenever she needed one, saved her life even, never asking for more than her spoils she would otherwise leave to rust in the desert sand.

It was time to give something back, Aloy realized with a fierce warmth heating up her chest.

“Teb, is there… A way I can comfort you a little? Help you relax, so you can sleep?”

Teb’s head snapped up, and the fear in his eyes was chased away for a moment, the bright green depth in them rekindled. A heartbeat later he blushed violently, blinking and shrinking in on himself as if he wasn’t sure how to react to Aloy’s question.

“Aloy, I… I mean, if you’d like, I’d welcome it, but… What did you have in mind?” he finally managed to stutter.

Aloy blinked. She hadn’t really thought about that, but telling by the way Teb’s flush spread over his face he did have some _ideas_ , and would rather jump off the next best cliff than asking Aloy to execute any of them. She hurried to offer him something familiar he had already done for her.

“I always enjoyed the head massages you gave me, so… How about that?”

Teb’s careful smile warmed her heart. He seemed relieved about Aloy’s suggestion, and craned his neck to look around outside their shelter. Apparently he was checking whether they were alone on the small plateau close to the Daytower gates, and Aloy activated her focus to help him. Not that there was anything to hide about what they were doing, but Aloy could do without people addressing her like some deity’s chosen one. Once she’d made sure they were alone, she moved around the campfire so she was sitting cross-legged behind Teb.

Aloy lifted her hands, not sure how to start but determined to try. She ran her fingertips over the saved hair on the back of his head, surprised by the tickly, smooth feeling of it. It felt nice, but when she applied more pressure Teb flinched forward a little. One of his hands moved to her knee to gently stop her, and he turned on the spot so he could see her behind him.

“Don’t you like that?” Aloy asked Teb, raising one eyebrow.

Teb’s lips quirked into a careful smile. “I do. Of course I do. But… how about you, Aloy? I mean… You don’t have to feel obliged to do this. I didn’t massage you all those times expecting you to return the favor,” he said quietly.

And again, he was only thinking about _her_ comfort, not his own. Aloy felt touched and aching at the same time.

“I want to do this, Teb. Really. Turn around, close your eyes and let me try. Just give me a moment to figure out how to make it feel nice for you.”

Teb held her gaze for a moment, searching her eyes with his. He seemed to make sure she was being honest about her decision, then nodded slowly. Teb turned around, this time holding perfectly still when Aloy moved her fingers over his scalp. She tried to remember how he had done it when massaging her hair and mimicked his movements, drew circles and lines with her fingertips in gentle, but firm strokes. Aloy could hear Teb slowly breathing out, and the tense line of his shoulders dropped a little. Encouraged, Aloy applied more pressure, rubbing her fingers over his scalp around the row of dreadlocks and enjoying the feel of his short, prickly hair against her palms. Teb hummed with pleasure as Aloy increased the pressure a little. When she carefully pushed his dreadlocks out of the way so she could reach his temples, she accidentally brushed over Teb’s left ear.

In the same instant that happened, Teb let out a soft sound, somewhere between a quiet moan and a sharp exhale.

Aloy blinked.

Before she could think this through, she gently ran her fingers over Teb’s ear, causing him to make the sound again. He squirmed a little, inclined his head, but he leaned into the touch, not away from it.

 _Interesting_.

Aloy experimentally lifted her other hand as well and caressed his right ear in the same way, tracing her fingertips over the shell, and was not surprised when Teb let out another quiet sound of pleasure. So he liked this, then. Something about the sound he made encouraged Aloy to focus her efforts on Teb’s ears, and soon she could see his shoulders slump in boneless relaxation. Aloy bit her lip when Teb all but _purred_ as she caressed a particularly good spot, and she found herself giving that spot more attention. Surprisingly, doing this for Teb felt almost as good as receiving the same kind of treat, and she didn’t mind at all doing this for a little while longer. Driven by a strange sense of curiosity, Aloy leaned around his torso so she could catch a glimpse of his face while caressing his ears and temples. She had to grin at Teb’s closed eyes and slightly parted lips, wearing an expression of dreamy pleasure as if he was miles away.

She saw his eyebrows peak in a mixture of frustration and bliss the next time Teb let out that soft gasp as she touched that sweet spot, and something about seeing it made Aloy’s stomach heat up.

Suddenly feeling a little obtrusive about just staring at Teb while he got caught up in her attentions, she blinked, realizing the deep blush in her cheeks. Aloy retreated a bit and cleared her throat.

“So… Doing better?”

“U-huh,” Teb breathed, and Aloy didn’t need to see his face to know that he was smiling. “That’s… very nice. Thank you. It’s just… There’s an itch on my back, would you…?”

“Scratch it for you? Sure.”

Aloy pushed the blanket down that was covering Teb’s back. She scratched his back with her fingertips somewhere between his shoulder blades through the soft fawn leather of his tunic.

“Here?”

“Erm… not quite.”

“More to the left?”

“Slightly lower, please…”

Aloy kept scratching, moving her hand lower down his back. She heard Teb take in a hissing breath, and he inclined his head, signaling her she was getting closer.

“Lower…”

Her hand moved lower down his spine, feeling his lean muscles through the thin leather. Teb let out a soft gasp.

“Lower… almost…”

Reaching the edge of his belt, Aloy scratched the small of Teb’s back.

“Any lower and I run out of back, Teb,” Aloy commented with a smirk, but kept scratching.

“That’s perfect, right there. _Oh_ …”

Teb arched his back and tensed up his shoulders, and then relaxed again, letting out a breathy moan of pleasure.

When Aloy saw Teb like that, for some reason she felt almost like that time she had tried Gera’s home-distilled spirit, her head swimming slightly and her eyes feeling hazy, with a dry mouth and that pulsing, strange heat collecting deep down in her core. Her voice felt raw when she spoke.

“Better?”

“Yes, very much. Thank you,” Teb said quietly, shooting her a smile over his shoulder. Aloy mirrored it, still reeling from that dizzying sensation inside her. While she was at it, already having pushed down the blanket to reveal Teb’s upper body, she decided that she might as well massage the rest of his back. She dug her hands into his shoulders, kneading the tension out of them. Teb seemed surprised at first, but didn’t protest and after a few moments all but melted under her firm touch.

The warm feeling inside Aloy stayed. It was strange, but not entirely unwelcome, and something about the way Teb responded to her touch made her crave more of this, granting her some kind of satisfaction even though it wasn’t her who got pampered. Aloy happily massaged Teb’s back, giving attention to each tense muscle until he was boneless with relaxation, starting to slump forward a little.

“You know, Aloy… It feels strange, coming back to the Embrace now. I’ve always considered it my home, but now, after living in Meridian… It doesn’t quite feel like home anymore,” Teb said quietly after some time.

Aloy turned his words over in her mind for a moment.

“I’ve only ever known that part of the Embrace the outcasts were allowed to hunt in. My home was the wilderness, and Rost’s cottage. I… I don’t know if I want to go back there. His grave is there, but I could never move into the cottage again.”

“Too many memories?” Teb asked softly, slightly turning his head.

Aloy smiled a morose little smile. “Yes. Way too many.”

Teb nodded. “It’s… a little weird, but Meridian feels more like home to me now. Because… Because of the months I spent there with you, Aloy.”

Aloy’s hands stopped moving for a moment. She blinked, letting Teb’s words sink in, and the weight they carried.

She realized she felt the same about this, but she had no idea how to phrase it.

“Meridian feels closer to a home than anything I ever had,” Aloy said finally, and hoped Teb understood that she included the apartment, their business, and _him_ , most of all, into her answer. Instead of replying to that, Teb raised one of his hands from where he had folded them in his lap, lifting it towards her without turning around, and Aloy took it. Their fingers entwined for a moment, squeezing gently, and Aloy knew he understood.

She let go of his hand again and continued her massage. She only stopped when Teb yawned against the back of his hand. Aloy scooted away from him and retook her place on the other side of the campfire, picking up her own blanket to wrap herself in the warm fur.

“Do you think you can catch some sleep now, Teb? We have a long way ahead of us after crossing the mountain range,” she said.

Teb nodded, his eyes looking drowsy. “I know. Thank you, Aloy. That was… I deeply appreciate it. Everything.”

Teb’s pupils were blown, Aloy noticed, and his cheeks flushed despite his tiredness. That warm glow in them was back, just like the one after he had massaged her hair the first time, and each time after that, each time he wished her a good night when they settled down in bed together, each time she came back from a long hunt and he touched her cheek in welcome. It was an expression Aloy had still to decipher, but for some reason she knew her eyes had the same heated darkness to them now.

It felt… _right_ , whatever it meant.

A part of Aloy wanted to reach out to Teb and wrap him in her arms, holding him until his sorrow was gone, and she clenched her hands in her lap as the urge got stronger.

She didn’t, and instead spoke quietly.

“Try to rest. We’ll set out as soon as the sun goes down. The path is not very steep, and the darkness will make hiding easier. There are a lot of predator machines on the coast of the lake and I want to get past them before the sun rises.”

Teb nodded, curling up in a blanket. The sadness and worry that weighed down on him was still there, despite Aloy’s efforts to comfort him, but at least he fell asleep soon. Aloy watched Teb’s slender silhouette for a while, the rise and fall of his chest, before she curled up as well and closed her eyes with the wind howling around them.


	9. Chapter 9

IX.

After descending the mountain range, it took them three more days to cross the Sacred Lands until they reached the path that led to the Embrace. Aloy had changed their mount in between after their Strider had picked a fight with a Grazer while Teb and she were having supper, when loud noises had drawn their attention to the fighting machines. Neither their mount nor the wild Grazer had survived the fight, and Teb had helped Aloy looting the carcasses. Their new mount was a Strider as well, and together they continued towards the Embrace.

Teb rode a part of the distance, Aloy clinging to his waist behind him. She watched the dense, dark green pine forest rush by, so different from the jungles of the Sundom. Seeing the wilderness she had known for the better part of her life again was a bittersweet sensation, partly fond and partly tainted with the memories of being cast out like an unwanted curse. She didn’t know what it would feel like to return to Mother’s Heart, especially with Teb’s family affairs still hanging in both their thoughts like threatening stormclouds.

Every time they had taken the luxury to sleep, Aloy had made sure to chat with Teb to calm him and sleep close to him, sometimes massaging his back until the tense line of his shoulders relaxed a bit like she had done in Daytower, caressing his ears when she felt like hearing his soft little gasps of pleasure.

She felt like it every time, and it never failed to fill her with a warm feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when Teb managed to relax enough to sleep. The closer they got to the Embrace the worse his mood dropped, and Aloy didn’t blame him for it. The fear of finding his father close to dying was weighing down on Teb, that and the seemingly nameless, deeper fear that he still refused to talk about to Aloy. There was more to it than what he was willing to admit, and she didn’t pressure him, but his sorrowful expression betrayed that there was something eating him up from inside, more than the worry for his father’s life. Aloy vaguely remembered that Teb’s expression had turned guarded every time she had mentioned his old home in the Embrace, and she assumed there was a connection of some kind. It seemed like he didn’t want to enter the Embrace, but felt like he was forced to, and it pained Aloy to see Teb like this. She wished she knew what else she could do for him, confused by her urge to hold him close that overcame her more often than not and too unsettled with everything to give in to it, instead doing what she knew best – staying strong, and supporting him with her presence.

 _I just hope it’ll get better once we’re there_ , she thought, looping her arms a little tighter around Teb’s lean waist.

On their last day of travelling, they stopped at a lake to take a much needed bath and wash. Teb bathed first, while Aloy went out to hunt a turkey for supper. When she came back Teb sat at a campfire, dressed in spare clothing, his washed garments hanging over a rope close to the fire. He turned away and started preparing the turkey for roasting when Aloy stepped to the shore to undress and swim, and when she peeked back over her shoulder she saw Teb’s back as he listlessly plucked the feathers from the turkey. She sighed, shivered when the cold water enveloped her body, and started rubbing herself clean. When Aloy returned to the fire, dressed in fresh clothing, she hung her roughly washed undergarments over the rope next to Teb’s. They ate in silence, rested until their clothes were dry and continued the last section of the way.

“Would you swap places with me again and ride the last part? We’re almost at the gate,” Teb asked Aloy quietly after they passed a rocky outcrop, the towers of the gate finally visible behind the next river curve.

“I think we should dismount and walk the rest of the way, Teb. It’s been some time since I was here, and it wouldn’t be the first time the tower guards shoot an approaching machine on sight before noticing it carries riders,” Aloy replied.

Teb nodded. “Good idea.”

They took their gear from the Strider and sent it off into the wilds again. Aloy led the way, Teb following her down the path that soon ended at the Main Embrace gate. She spotted heads and spears poking over the walls and recognized them as guards. The Braves waved to them, and Aloy returned their greeting, satisfied when the gates swung open as soon as they got closer. Teb and Aloy crossed the Embrace, making their way over the well-trodden path. Aloy was pleased to see the ongoing repairs after the war, new watchtowers and Brave trails being installed and broken signposts renewed.

Soon, they reached the gates of Mother’s Heart, the capital of the Nora land, where Aloy had first spoken to Teb, before entering the Proving. It seemed like an eternity ago.

“Open the gates,” she said loudly, and immediately after the heavy oak wood swung open.

“Anointed! Good to see you again,” a familiar voice greeted. Varl stepped through the gate, approaching Aloy and Teb.

“Hello, Varl.”

Aloy winced at the mention of that title she disliked so much, but her joy at seeing an old comrade at arms still made her smile. Her smile faded somewhat when Varl made to hug her, why too quickly for her taste and without waiting for her consent. She was prevented from having to evade the hug when Teb stepped between Varl and her. Teb casually pulled a freeze bomb from his pouch and handed it to her, and Varl stopped in his approach when he saw that Aloy’s attention was with Teb. Within the short moment all of this happened Aloy asked herself if Teb knew what he was doing, even now, with his mind drowned in worry, and a part of her was sure of it. Aloy thanked Teb inwardly, but she noticed Varl’s expression turning cold.

“Teb? I thought you had decided to side with the Carja,” he said, and Aloy couldn’t help but notice the bite in his tone. Teb didn’t answer. Varl turned back to Aloy, a pleasant smile on his face.

“It’s good to see you’re well. There have been quite a lot of changes in the Sacred Lands while you were away, you’d be surprised. I’ve been made a captain, by the way, after coming back from the Spire,” Varl told her.

“Captain, huh? Sona must have been very proud,” Aloy replied, smirking when Varl nodded enthusiastically.

“Varl...? Do you know if…?” Teb suddenly piped up, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“Teb, I’m speaking to Aloy. Couldn’t you leave two old friends some time alone? We have a _lot_ to talk about,” he continued, his last words directed to Aloy with an odd glow in his eyes and an almost suggestive tone in his voice. Aloy just frowned, suddenly very annoyed.

“Varl, give him a break. Teb’s father is sick and we just came to see him.”

Varl’s expression softened somewhat. “Oh, I didn’t know. Sorry, Teb. Who is your father again?”

Teb seemed to hesitate, squirming on the spot in obvious discomfort, but finally spoke.

“Gered.”

“Gered, the former warchief? He’s your father?” Varl asked astonished. Aloy just blinked, her eyes flicking back and forth between Varl and Teb.

“You know him, Varl?”

“Gered is a legend! Or, was. Before my mother, Sona, was made warchief, Gered held that position for decades. He was one of the best the tribe ever had. He fought in many battles, killed hundreds of large machines, even fought back an entire army of bandits in Valleymeet once. After retiring, Gered trained young Braves, including me. I had no idea he was your father, Teb, really. You’re so different from him, and he never mentioned you.”

At that, something _shattered_ in Teb’s expression, and he wordlessly walked past Varl and Aloy through the gate, staring at his feet. Aloy could see his clenched fists at his sides. She immediately knew something about what Varl had said had caused Teb incredible pain. She looked at his quickly retreating back, deciding to end this talk as fast as possible so she could catch up with him.

“Varl, do you know whether Gered is still alive?” Aloy wanted to know quietly.

Varl nodded. “He is, but I doubt he has much longer. He’s already said his farewells to Sona and the other captains. It’s a shame, really. He was a great man, the tribe was lucky to have him. How about you? Would you like to go for a spar while you’re here?”

Aloy frowned. The last thing she was thinking about right now was hitting each other with blunted spears, not when Teb was going through this.

“I have other problems to take care of. Later, maybe. See you around, Varl.”

Varl replied something, but Aloy barely heard it. She shouldered her bag and jogged through the gate into the town, trying to catch up with Teb. She had to look for him with her focus, spotting his familiar slender silhouette a few turns further up the hill. As she approached Teb, she overheard a group of Braves hissing something as they went past him, shooting him dark glances.

“The Stitcher that joined the war party. So Talan was right, you stayed with the Carja faithless, huh? Too fancy for Mother’s Heart, are we?”

Teb didn’t react at all, but his head dropped a little lower, and Aloy bit her tongue with anger when she heard a Nora mother whisper “Traitor!” as Teb went by. She had almost caught up with him when a group of Nora warriors came to stand next to Teb. Aloy recognized Talan and the other Braves she had helped hunting a Thunderjaw months ago, and immediately knew what they were about to do. With anger bubbling up inside her, she decided it was enough.

“Now look who’s back from the Carja! Wouldn’t be surprised if Lansra makes you an outcast after joining the faithless, Teb. I wonder what you’d do in the wilderness as a Stitcher. Can you hunt for game with needles?”

The Brave broke off as Aloy marched up to the group like an enraged Trampler.

“You will stop this right now. All of you.”

“The Anointed! What an honor…” Talan said blushing, apparently the leader of the little group. The others had fallen silent, staring at Aloy adoringly. She _hated_ it, all of it.

“You accuse Teb of siding with the Carja when he just tried to make them familiar with the Nora. What about me? I’ve also been with the Carja, and the Oseram and Banuk as well! Why don’t you call me a traitor?” Aloy hissed at them, anger blazing in her eyes. The Braves didn’t respond, stunned in shock.

“Go ahead! Call me a traitor, if you dare!”

“But, Anointed… We would never… With you, it’s different. You were trying to make the world better, and Teb betrayed his tribe and traditions…”

“You know what, that’s just what Teb is doing. He’s making the world better instead of hiding here and sticking to dusty old ways like moss on rotten wood. You should be ashamed,” Aloy said, now very quietly. She shot the Braves one last glance and left, looking out for Teb who had continued his way without waiting for her.

He was a little distance away from her, and when Aloy started walking faster to catch up with him she saw that he was talking to a young woman. Aloy vaguely knew her face, but didn’t quite remember where she had met her before.

“It’s great that you’re back, Teb. Our new Stitcher is alright, but she just doesn’t get the embroideries done as pretty as you used to!” the woman said, and Aloy saw Teb muster a careful smile.

“Thank you, Fia. But… I don’t think I’ll stay for long. It’s… complicated,” he answered quietly.

“I see… But Teb, the Carja are so strange! Our Braves coming back from the war at the Spire told us so many things about them, I don’t even know what to believe. Don’t you want to come home?”

At that, Teb turned his head and saw Aloy approaching. His gaze locked with hers and he didn’t look away from her eyes when he answered.

“I… I already was home.”

Aloy’s heart skipped a beat.

Fia shot Teb a confused look, and Aloy finally remembered. Fia was a healer’s apprentice, and Aloy had helped her gather dreamwillow to tend to the wounds of injured warriors.

“Aloy! You’re back as well.”

Aloy was _not_ in the mood for talking after seeing the expression in Teb’s eyes, but she still greeted Fia, exchanged some polite small talk with her and followed Teb, who had continued his way up the hill between the huts of Mother’s Heart without turning around. It was so unlike him to not wait for Aloy or at least look around to see if she was following that Aloy got seriously worried. Also, Aloy wondered why Teb didn’t stop at any of the huts or longhouses. She had assumed he would head straight for his father’s house to visit him one last time, but Teb didn’t seem to be in a hurry at all. Instead, Aloy frowned in concern when they left the town behind them, making their way a good distance into the forest and up the slope of the mountain until the noise of voices and working people were fading into the wind and only the roofs of Mother’s Heart were visible between the pines.

Teb flopped down on a dead tree trunk and stared at his feet.

“Teb…?”

When he didn’t show any reaction other than squeezing his eyes shut as if he was in pain, Aloy carefully sat down next to him. They both didn’t speak, the only sounds the birds of the forest and the wind in the trees. Aloy looked him over for a moment, then gently laid a hand on his bare shoulder.

“I… assume this far up the mountain is not where your father lives?” she asked quietly.

Teb didn’t look up, but he nodded.

“Why don’t you want to see him Teb?”

Teb’s eyebrows furrowed and he pressed his lips together, but he didn’t answer.

“Teb,” Aloy said as firmly and gently as possible. “You can trust me with this. I want to help you. Please, tell me.”

Teb’s eyes met hers for a moment. He took in a shuddering breath, and when he spoke his voice was little more than a whisper.

“My father hates me.”

Aloy blinked, shocked by his words. He wasn’t being serious, was he?

“Teb… Why would you say that…?” she wanted to know, her hand gently pressing a little firmer on his shoulder, trying to encourage him. Aloy could feel him tremble under her touch.

“I… It started when my mother died after giving birth to me. I think my father blamed me in his grief. He was a renowned warrior, war chief, and legend among the tribe. Of course he started training me to step into his place at some point, but I was… I never was good with weapons, or tracking, or anything he valued as honorable. I wanted to become a Stitcher ever since I can remember, and he hated that. He forced me into the Brave trails, yelled at me when he caught me sneaking off from the training with the other young hunters. He said I was a disgrace for the family, that… That I was not his son, couldn’t be his.”

Teb stopped when his voice broke, staring at his feet and squeezing his eyes shut. “You couldn’t imagine how angry he was when he saw me talking to you and Rost, Aloy. And after I gave up voluntarily at the Proving he threw me out of our home, said that if I wanted to go and do an old woman’s work, I should, and never come back. I opened up my Stitcher’s stand, served the tribe, and I loved what I did, but I knew my father didn’t. It’s partly the reason why I stayed in Meridian, far away from the Embrace. I was… I was hiding there, even though I couldn’t be sure if the Matriarchs would make me an outcast for staying away, and now…”

Teb’s voice broke once more, and his devastated expression made Aloy’s insides clench with pain.

“I’m so scared, Aloy,” Teb continued, desperation in his voice. “I’m such a coward… I can’t face my father, I know I have to, but I can’t. I… All I wanted was to make him proud, and I always knew I couldn’t, not by just being myself… And then you came back to me, and… You mean so much to me, Aloy, and I was hoping I could make you proud, at least a little, and here I am…”

Teb buried his face in his hands.

“I’m such a failure…” he muttered, his voice muffled by his hands.

Then his shoulders started to shake.

Aloy finally came back her senses, stunned with emotion after Teb’s story. Something inside her ruptured when she saw him cry and her body acted of its own accord. It was as if a dam broke, all reluctance wiped away as if it never existed, and before she could even think she was wrapping her arms around Teb and pulled him close.

Teb reacted after just a moment of tension by returning Aloy’s embrace, and a moment later they were pressed chest to chest as closely as they could while sitting next to each other, Teb burying his face in the curve of Aloy’s neck. He shook with barely audible sobs, and Aloy felt his warm tears on her skin as he finally allowed all the barred-up emotions inside him to escape. She closed her eyes, cradled Teb into her arms and rubbed gentle circles over his back. She was closer to him that she had ever been to any other person, and in another place, another time Aloy would have regretted her first proper hug to happen out of sorrow and not out of joy, but this was Teb, and he needed her, and she held him as he was crying and she wouldn’t let him go for the world. It felt _right_ , in every way.

For a long moment Aloy kept quiet and didn’t do anything besides caressing Teb’s back in slow, gentle strokes. She knew that sometimes silence was the only remedy needed, so she waited for Teb to pour out his sorrow to her. Aloy closed her eyes and focused on the calming, sweet scent of Teb’s skin that she had grown as familiar with as with her own, one hand of hers reaching up to cradle the back of his head. It took Teb a while, but eventually his breathing gradually slowed down and his quiet sobs stopped until he was simply pressing his face into her hair, holding her close.

“Teb…?” Aloy whispered, pulling away only a little so she could see him.

Teb sniffed his nose, one hand of his coming up to wipe at his eyes. “Sorry, Aloy. I made a stain on your shirt…”

Aloy huffed out a laugh. Even now Teb only thought of her comforts, and her heart flew to him when she reached up to cup his cheek with her palm. Her thumb gently wiped away one of his tears, and she felt the vague urge to brush it over his lips.

“My shirt is the least of my worries now, Teb.”

She pulled him close again, and Teb complied, melting into her arms.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Aloy asked quietly.

“I…” Teb sniffed, hesitating a moment. “I thought you’d find out that I was afraid. You are so strong, Aloy, the strongest person I know. I was scared that… That you’d… you would respect me less, get tired of me. I… I didn’t want to lose you…”

Aloy’s heart clenched. Was he really afraid that Aloy finding out about his fears would make her abandon him? _Nothing could_ , she realized suddenly, and she struggled to let him know.

“Oh, Teb…” Aloy murmured, pressing her head against his. “You couldn’t be more wrong. I have moments in which I’m afraid too, and moments in which I feel weak. But you, you are everything _but_ weak, Teb. You are wonderful and strong and smart, and I am prouder of you than I can put into words. I count myself lucky to be your friend and I’m honored that you trust me with your story.”

At that, Teb’s arms around her tightened, and she felt his warm breath against her skin, cool were it ghosted over the streaks of his tears he left on her neck.

“I’m sorry, Teb. Sorry for the pain you had to endure in your past. But I promise it will be alright. I’m so proud of you, and your father will be, too.”

At that, Teb lifted his head and looked up at her, his eyes still stained with tears. “You are proud of me?”

Aloy nodded, her heart skipping. “I’ve always been, Teb.”

A smile spread over his face, thankful and gentle, and Aloy felt herself drawn to it, her eyes flicking down to his lips. She had to make herself focus on his eyes as he spoke.

“But, my father… He will never see in me the son he wanted.”

Aloy thought for a moment, but it was already clear to her what she had to do. There was only one way.

“Bring me to your father, Teb. I want to speak to him.”

Teb blinked rapidly, his eyebrows peaking in hesitation. “But, I…”

He stopped when Aloy’s palm gently cupped his cheek again. “Teb, your father doesn’t have much longer. When Rost died, I wasn’t even able to say good bye properly. Tell him what he meant to me, and thank him for everything. I’ll always regret that. Please don’t make the same mistake. I know you and your father have your differences and he has treated you wrong, but please take this chance to talk to him one last time. You need to be brave now, Teb. For your own sake,” Aloy told him.

Teb held her gaze for a long moment, then she felt his hand sliding into hers. Aloy returned the gesture, held his hand, and her heart beat faster when Teb took a deep breath and nodded.

“You’re right, Aloy. When you’re with me, I… I’ll try.”

Aloy shot him a smile. They got up and she followed him as he marched down the mountain slope again, back to Mother’s Heart. They soon reached a large wooden longhouse, decorated on the outside with mounted machine heads on poles. Teb hesitated a moment, standing in front of the door. After exchanging another glance with Aloy, who returned his insecure look with a firm and encouraging nod, he led her inside.

The longhouse of Teb’s father was dark and only dimly lit by rays of sunshine making their way through the roof. The wooden walls were barely visible behind a mess of trophies, weapons and woven images of machines and big game, every single item spelling _warrior_. It was so different from the cozy, warm comfort Teb’s workshop radiated that Aloy could not imagine a young Teb being happy in this place.

Aloy could see that there was another room in the back, probably the sleeping section and, in this case, the sickbed of the aging veteran. There was a small fireplace, the logs burnt down to softly glowing embers. Teb halted, gesturing to the back of the house. Aloy gently touched his arm.

“I’ll go talk to him now. Wait back here,” she whispered. Teb just nodded, and she could tell by his trembling just how much strength this cost him, and how much trust he put into her. Determination burning brightly inside her, Aloy crossed the longhouse until she reached the curtain that separated the sleeping corner from the rest of the room.

When she carefully pushed back the curtain, Gered looked like most old Nora men at the first glance, fragile and worn out by a lifetime of fighting, beard and dreadlocks white as ash. He carried the same familial face mark as Teb, but inverted, a blue pattern curving around his right eye. Aloy closed the curtain halfway behind her and sat down on the edge of the bed where Gered rested. He heard her approach and lifted his head a little, blinking at her.

Aloy was not surprised to recognize some features in his face that were mirrored in Teb’s – the distinct straight nose, the slightly curved upper lip, the prominent forehead – except for his eyes. Teb’s eyes were clearly a gift from his mother, large and expressive and golden green like lake water in the sun, whereas his father’s eyes were steel grey and harsh like a winter morning.

“The Anointed? What a surprise,” Gered rasped, clearly not expecting to see her, but not sounding put off by her intrusion in any way. “Warchief Sona told me of your outstanding prowess at the Spire. Would have given everything to take part in that battle to support you, but these old bones have seen enough fighting. My time has come.”

His words ended in a coughing fit that made Aloy frown in concern – Teb and she had certainly come just in time. By the sound of it Gered seemed to verge awfully close on the edge between life and death, and Aloy recalled Varl telling her that the chiefs had already been to him to bid their goodbyes before age took him.

“Gered, I thank you for your praise. I’d like to speak to you about something else, though,” Aloy said gently, waiting for Gered to turn his head a little so she could be sure she had his full attention.

“Something else?” he asked.

Aloy nodded. “I came to talk to you about your son, Teb.”

At the mention of Teb’s name, Gered frowned in disdain and turned his gaze back to the ceiling.

“What about him? Didn’t care to abandon his needlework to get here, did he?” he rasped, and Aloy had to quench the anger welling up inside her at Gered’s cold, distant tone.

“Without Teb, countless people would be dead,” Aloy said. “He was fighting when the Eclipse attacked the Embrace and got badly injured. He was there, during the battle at the Spire. He followed the war party to help. Did you even know that?”

Gered huffed. “He got injured because he’s a disaster with weapons, and a Stitcher following the war party was an even worse idea than trying to fight. Useless boy must have stood in the way most of the time.”

Aloy could barely believe what the old man said about his son. Gered was just as harsh as she remembered from the short moment she had met him as a child, and she was shocked to realize that Teb had not been exaggerating when he had told her about his father’s attitude towards his only son. Gered didn’t seem to have any respect for his son’s choices in life or his physical deficiency, blind to his many talents as he focused only on Teb not being a warrior like he had wanted him to be. It made Aloy sad and angry at the same time, and she felt the powerful urge to make it right, for Teb’s sake.

“Teb did not just stand in the way. I owe him my life,” Aloy said quietly. Her words caused a rapid change of expression in the old veteran’s face and he turned his head back to her.

“ _You_?” he wanted to know, clearly unbelieving. “The Anointed, who saved us from destruction?”

Aloy nodded. “Teb woke me up after I got knocked out in battle before some enemy could end me. We met again in Meridian, and he took care of me when I got injured on a hunt. I doubt I would have survived my wounds without him.”

Gered blinked, and Aloy could see the thoughts circling behind his eyes. Apparently Teb had never bothered, or rather dared, to tell his father about what he did, humble and introverted as he was. Aloy pressed on, determined to make Gered realize what Teb had never managed to say himself.

“Teb helped countless Braves in the battle, not just me. He might not be a warrior, but he did his outmost to help, risked his life even. I know you value his choice to become a Stitcher less than becoming a Brave, but you are wrong. Teb constantly oversteps his bounds, and that counts so much more than a person offering help with something that comes easily to them. He is goodhearted, honest and selfless, and one of the strongest people I know, in his own way. He knows where his talents are and improves them every day. He is happy with his choices, but it pains him that you’re not. If Teb had listened to you and forced himself to become a warrior, your son would be long dead, like your wife. Would you prefer that, no family at all over your only child being happy with what he does?”

Aloy knew her words had cut deeply, judging by the way Gered opened his mouth to speak, shock and protest flaring up in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, though, and Aloy continued.

“No, you wouldn’t. If you had cared to talk to Teb every now and then, you would know that he helps the peace between the tribes along with what he does, makes the world a better place.”

“Does he, now…? All those things… He never told me…” Gered mumbled. There was no anger in his voice any more, just wonder, and amazement, and, to Aloy’s relief, sadness and regret.

“Teb never told you because he was scared, Gered. The only thing that truly scares him was not fighting a battle, or risking his life to defend the tribe, despite the dangers it put him in. The only thing that scares him is facing you, his own father, and your judgment. Teb might not be a Brave, but he is one of the bravest men I’ve ever met. He means a lot to me, and I’m prouder of him than I can put into words. As should you, Gered.”

Gered didn’t speak, but he didn’t need to do for Aloy to know that she had touched him to the quick. A mixture of pain, sorrow, regret and realization danced across his features, and his cold eyes had softened.

“Where is he?” Gered asked eventually, his voice hoarse and quiet.

“I’m here, father,” came Teb’s timid voice from next to Aloy. She turned and saw that Teb had approached the bed, coming to stand next to her. He had tears in his eyes, but he returned his father’s stare without looking away. Gered swallowed and took in a shuddering breath.

“Teb… come and sit, boy.”

Aloy stood up to make place for Teb to sit on the edge of the bed. She retreated politely to leave them some time alone, now sure that their last talk would turn out different from what Teb had been afraid of. When Aloy turned around once more, she saw Gered lifting a shaking hand that Teb carefully took with his own.

Aloy smiled to herself and left the longhouse.

Outside, the clouds had cleared and the autumn air was cold with the bite of the first frost. Aloy decided to sit on a bench a few steps away from the house so Teb and his father had some privacy, but she remained within eyeshot of the door. A quick check of her bomb satchel revealed that her freeze bombs and shock bombs were in dire need of a refill, so Aloy busied herself with filling vessels with chillwater and sparkers. Two Nora stopped by on their way to errands and work to talk to her, and a young father even brought Aloy some lunch that she thankfully accepted. Hours passed during which Aloy also restocked on tearblast arrows. The sun started to sink above Mother’s Heart, tinting the mountain range and the distance carcass of the destroyed HORUS with its tangled tentacles a soft, pinkish orange. A raccoon skittered over the rustling dead leaves that covered the ground. Winter was around the corner, and Aloy relished breathing in the crisp, dry air, so different from the warm, wet atmosphere around the Meridian jungles that she had grown used to.

It didn’t quite feel like homecoming, and her heart made a painful little skip when she thought of the hut she had grown up in, Rost’s old home in the wilderness of the Embrace. Aloy knew his grave was located there. While a part of her longed to visit it, another part was not ready to face the memories being dragged up once she went there.

 _Maybe I’ll be able to face it later_ , she mused. _If I can help Teb to overcome his fears, he might help me too._

The sun had almost set when Teb came out of the longhouse.

Aloy jumped up and waited for him to see if he would approach her of his own accord. He’d been with his father for several hours and she would give him time alone if he needed it. Teb came walking towards her, though, his eyes turned towards the ground, and Aloy hurried to meet him halfway.

He looked up when they were standing in front of each other, and his soft, green eyes were radiating deep sorrow as well as incredulous relief. Teb took in a shuddering breath, and tears welled up in his eyes once more when he spoke.

“Thank you, Aloy,” he all but whispered.

“Teb…” Aloy said, reaching up to gently cup his cheek with her hand. “Is Gered…?”

Teb nodded. “He passed away. I’ve been with him in his last moments. We… we’ve made our peace. He said… He apologized. For everything. Said it didn’t make up for the mistakes he made, but… It means the world to me. He said he was proud.”

At that, a tremble went through Teb, and his breathing hitched. Tears ran down his cheeks, catching in the corners of his mouth when he smiled despite them.

“He said he was proud of me, Aloy.”

Aloy felt that no words were sufficient to reply to his, so she simply wrapped Teb in her arms and pulled him close. He returned her embrace. Aloy could feel his breath ghosting through her hair and his warm tears on her skin. She was closer to him than she had ever been to any other person in her life, close enough to feel his heartbeat. She had never felt anyone’s heartbeat before. It was like the steady thrum of gears and engines inside a cauldron, but so much softer, warmer, responding to hers.

It was incredible.

“Thank you, Aloy,” Teb repeated, his voice choked by tears, and Aloy answered by gently cradling the back of his head with her hand, the other rubbing slow circles over his back. She knew he would understand, that it was enough to tell him she had done everything gladly. Once more, she allowed Teb to pour out his emotions to her, except that this time his tears were not shed because of desperation, but of relief.

Basking in the warmth of Teb’s body pressed against hers, Aloy allowed herself to get lost in the sound of his heart beating in time with her own.


	10. Chapter 10

X.

The night was clear and dark, speckled with countless stars and so cold that the puddles in Mother’s Heart had a thin layer of ice on them. The chanting of the Matriarchs had ceased, and the only sound was the hissing of the pyre as the flames consumed Gered’s body.

After his Last Blessing, the most renowned captains and the warchief stayed around the pyre to bid the old veteran their farewells. Aloy and Teb stood among them, and on the other side Aloy spotted some familiar faces of Braves she knew, including Varl. He shot Aloy a smile, followed by a respectful nod. Aloy nodded back, then turned her gaze back into the fire, watching the sparks fly up to mingle with the stars.

Teb didn’t cry now, but Aloy knew he would, later, when they were alone. Her hand crept up between them until it enveloped his, and she felt him curl her fingers around hers.

They watched in silence until the pyre had turned to ashes. Warchief Sona spoke a prayer for Gered, asking All-Mother to welcome his soul. Aloy heard Teb mutter the last few words along with her and gave his hand a squeeze. Soon after, the watchers left, all but for the Matriarchs who collected the ashes in a clay urn and placed it in the prepared grave. Aloy stayed with Teb until his father’s body finally rested close to the longhouse he had lived in.

After that they were alone at the grave, bathed into the light of a few lanterns that burned softly against the night.

Aloy shot Teb a glance, seeing that he was still staring at his father’s grave, his eyes heavy with emotion.

“Thank you, Aloy. For arranging everything,” Teb said eventually, very quietly. Aloy smiled.

“Of course.”

Teb nodded, then went silent for a while. When he spoke up again, his voice was hoarse.

“I… I miss him. It’s strange, I never thought I would feel like that for my father. But I do. Now that he’s gone. But he told me he was proud of his son, after all. That’s… It means the world to me, Aloy. Thank you. I’ve… It has troubled me for a long time.”

Aloy didn’t answer. Rost’s death and her missed chance to thank him for everything he’d done, in the end sacrificing his own life to save hers, would forever scar her soul, and something about knowing that she had helped Teb to find his peace with his father soothed that pain in her. She reached for Teb, looped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. Teb complied and rested his head against hers, draping an arm across her shoulder in response. His skin was warm, but he shivered slightly in the cold night air.

“I… assume you don’t want to sleep in the longhouse?” Aloy asked him softly, knowing that she certainly didn’t want to sleep in the cottage she had grown up in.

As expected, Teb shook his head. “No. I already asked Debra, the new tribe’s Stitcher, if I could use the shelter behind the main workshop to sleep. It has a small fireplace and bedrolls. It should do.”

Aloy nodded. Debra, a friendly old mother, had moved into Teb’s abandoned workshop when he had stayed in Meridian to serve the tribe as the Stitcher they were lacking now.

“Do you think there is room for two, Teb?” Aloy asked carefully after biting her lip. Something about the thought of sleeping alone in some tent seemed incredibly uninviting to her, after all the nights they had spent together. Aloy chalked it up to her wish to offer Teb comfort in his grieving.

“It might be a little… cramped,” Teb answered just as carefully, but the arm around her shoulders tightened ever so slightly.

“I don’t mind.”

Teb turned his face to Aloy. Her heart beat faster when she saw him smile, his first smile since what felt like an eternity to her.

“Me neither.”

-

The hut behind the Stitcher’s workshop _was_ small, Aloy realized, but it was warm and well isolated and there was fresh straw under the bedrolls. It wasn’t as comfortable as Teb’s place in Meridian, but definitely better than a mat under the open sky. They got the fireplace going and placed some large blocks of dried peat in it to keep the embers glowing for the rest of the night. The fireplace radiated gentle, steady heat, filling the otherwise dark room with a dim, orange glow.

Teb curled up on his mattress in front of the embers under a blanket of furs. After a moment of hesitation Aloy placed her mattress next to Teb’s, joining them to one large surface. Teb didn’t comment it when she crawled under her furs close to him. He lay on his side with his face turned towards her, but his eyes were closed, and Aloy could see a thin streak of tears running down his cheek.

Aloy was not confused by that voice inside her asking her if she really wanted this anymore as she wrapped Teb in her arms and pulled him close.

The only thing that surprised her was that, even when she tucked her head under Teb’s chin into the curve of his neck, gently rubbing his back until his quiet sobs subsided and he fell asleep, the rhythm of his breathing matching hers, the voice stayed completely silent.

-

It took Teb several weeks of mourning to get past his father’s death.

Aloy didn’t mind. She was determined to see Teb back to his old self and happy about every step he took in that direction. The talk he had had with Gered before he had died, the final reconciliation after years of misunderstanding and grudges, had done wonders to help Teb cope with his loss, and Aloy was sure that if he’d not met his father one more time he would have come undone with sadness.

Now, Teb still grieved, but day by day his gentle, positive nature returned, like the changing of the seasons, winter turning into spring ever so slowly. His sorrow that had worried Aloy so badly ever since he had gotten the bad news was gone, replaced by thankfulness and relief that he had had the chance to make peace with Gered.

Aloy left Teb alone when he needed solitude. During the day, he would spend a lot of time at the grave, and Aloy went out to hunt in the familiar forests and mountains of the Embrace, talked to Fia and sparred with Varl or the other Braves, but her thoughts always were with Teb.

Their nights belonged to him as well. Aloy had taken to not only sleep next to Teb in the small hut, but she held him close, feeling him respond readily until they were tangled in each other’s arms, chest to chest. Even after drifting off they remained huddled against each other when they turned during their sleep, but always drawn together like the strange black stones inside engines that seemed to stick to each other out of their own will. At first, it was to offer Teb comfort and solace.

Later, it was… out of other reasons.

Aloy wasn’t quite sure what they were, how to name them, only that she liked it. When they lay down close to each other, hands and arms draped over shoulders and waists, Aloy was _aware_. She was aware of every single part of their bodies touching, knees or hands or backs, overly sensitized, and it felt unlike anything she had ever felt. It was strange, but she still shifted into it, heat pooling low in her stomach that shot up through her core when she rubbed up against Teb. Before, Aloy had never quite paid attention to how other people looked like, or their bodies. Men were men and women were women, and Aloy had been able to judge their physical fitness, but never quite cared about it herself.

Something about Teb’s body caught her attention, though. It was the same kind of curiosity she had been experiencing for a long time now, expanded into a slowly growing wish to get familiar with the shapes of him. Teb always paid careful attention to shave his face, never growing a beard, and kept his hair shaved except for the neat row of dreadlocks on his head. With his smooth skin combined with his large, green eyes under elegant eyebrows and the slight curve in his lips there was something feminine about his face, only subtle but there. This was mirrored in his build was well, since Teb had the slimmest waist Aloy had ever seen on a male, and while his chest and shoulders were broader than in the average woman his overall slender, athletic shape and long legs sometimes reminded Aloy of herself. There was something not quite masculine and not quite feminine about Teb, and it intrigued her in a way she had never experienced before.

Sometimes, at night, Aloy caught herself slowly moving the hand she had placed on Teb’s flank to soothe his sorrow up and down his side, exploring the relief of his lean muscles against her palm. At first, she told herself the caresses were meant to give him solace, let him know she was there. Later, though, when Teb had less and less trouble sleeping, his balanced mood returning to normal, Aloy tried as hard as she could to tell herself her curious touches were still happening to comfort him.

She failed.

After a few nights of frowning to herself, Aloy gave in and stopped questioning it, not when she could let herself get wrapped in Teb’s arms, pressing her face into the cloth of his tunic and bathe in his warm, comforting scent.

Aloy knew that Teb didn’t need her solace anymore when she returned from a spar on a foggy autumn day, bruised but pleasantly exhausted. Aloy trotted up the path to Mother’s Heart after saying good bye to Varl, her spear laced across her shoulder. When she entered the town, she was surprised to see Teb at the central square, surrounded by a flock of Nora warriors.

Frowning to herself, Aloy came closer and realized Teb was holding a piece of her spare armor, a shoulder pad inspired by Carja craft made out of interwoven Longleg wings. Aloy had left the heavy parts of her armor in the hut when she went to spar, only wearing the simple Nora Brave outfit Teb had given her all that time ago. Teb seemed to be explaining the piece to the warriors, and Aloy carefully sneaked closer.

“… and the stylized feather shapes make it much easier to carry. It’s quieter as well,” Teb said. The Nora warrior in front of him nodded approvingly.

“And the Carja make their entire armor out of this?”

Teb nodded. “Most parts. Joints are padded with interwoven silks that provide protection against fire. It’s a lot warmer in the Sundom than here in the mountains and many machines in the desert attack with flames.”

“How do you attach satchels and quivers to it without getting stuck in all those little nooks?”

The warriors kept discussing the assets and drawbacks of Carja armor versus Nora armor with Teb, and Aloy smiled to herself when she saw his expression. There was his usual excited smile he always wore when talking about his beloved craft mingled with careful self-consciousness, slightly intimidated by the attention he was under. A shy blush crept over his cheeks when the warrior relented, admitting that the armor actually seemed to be not quite as bad as expected from the Carja, and Aloy had to bite her tongue to suppress her smirk. She spotted Talan, one of the Braves that had hunted the Thunderjaw with her months ago, the one that had tried to taunt Teb and failed. Talan stood to the side with an expression that mixed jealousy and grudging respect when Teb got complimented by an experienced warrior on the excellent make of the piece he was holding.

Aloy, reeling with a deep sensation of pride, finally approached the group, and Teb waved to her when he saw her.

“Hello, Aloy. Would you mind if we stay here long enough so I can get some Carja shoulder plates done for Osric here?” he asked, gesturing to the warrior in front of him.

“Not at all, Teb”, Aloy replied, amused when another Brave chimed in, asking Teb for a Carja-style breastplate. He agreed to the two commissions, but politely told the others he’d have to leave for Meridian soon, to continue his business, and that those two pieces were the only things he’d get done in the remaining time. Aloy was positively surprised about the murmur of protest that erupted from the Braves at Teb’s words.

“If I’d had a backplate better suited to fire I wouldn’t have that burn scar on my back now after getting attacked by a Bellowback,” a young huntress next to Aloy complained.

“Well, why don’t you visit Meridian, then?” Aloy ventured, thinking of her hope to bring the Nora and Carja culture to some kind of mutual approach, something that so far had only worked with the Carja. “Teb sells his wares there and a trading trail would make transporting all kinds of resources much easier, for both sides.”

The Nora huntress huffed. “To be honest, Aloy, I wouldn’t mind crossing the border. From what Teb showed us, the Carja don’t seem to be that bad. I mean, they helped you at the Spire. But I doubt the Matriarchs would allow a permanent exchange. The battle against the metal devil was an exception, after all.”

Aloy nodded, mostly to herself. The huntress was right. If there was anything that could open the border between the Scared Lands and the Sundom, the Matriarchs would have to give their consent. Aloy made a mental note of talking to them before Teb and her left for Meridian again.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by Teb, who suddenly appeared by her side. He handed her the borrowed shoulder pad.

“Sorry for taking it from your stash without asking. Osric had been so curious about it, and I didn’t know how long you’d be away to spar,” he said with an apologetic smile.

“It’s alright. I’m surprised you managed to convince those pigheaded Braves to consider wearing Carja armor.”

Teb grinned. “I know. It’s a good sign, right?”

“It certainly is,” Aloy replied, mirroring his smile. There still was a hint of sadness in Teb’s eyes that overshadowed the bright green, but the honest, open friendliness she had missed so much was back, and Aloy could barely wrap her mind around how glad she was about his recovery.

“How was… how was the spar with Varl?” Teb asked carefully.

Aloy shrugged. “Pretty good. He won once, I won trice, both got bruised. The usual.”

Teb nodded and followed Aloy when she turned and walked away from the central square, towards the gates to a less noisy part of Mother’s Heart. There was something she’d been contemplating a lot, now that their visit in the Embrace was coming to an end, and Teb had had the time to mourn his father. She sneaked around a wooden hut into a shadowy corner, hidden from view, and waited for Teb to join her. He seemed to sense that Alo wanted to discuss this in private, stepping in close so he could hear her.

“Teb, I… I would like to visit Rost’s cottage, while I’m here,” she said quietly. “And his grave.”

Teb’s eyebrows rose. One of his hands came up to cup her cheek and he searched her face with his gaze, as if wanting to see if she meant it. Aloy leaned into his warm touch.

“Are you sure? Last time we spoke about it you said it would drag up memories,” he asked quietly.

“I am. You’ve managed to talk to your father, and now it’s my time to show some courage like you did,” she answered, and by the way the corner of Teb’s lips curled up she knew he understood how she meant it. She had thought about this for a long time, and come to the conclusion that even though she expected old memories to cause her at least some kind of pain, she owed this to Rost, and herself. The only thing Aloy had realize she needed was Teb to stay by her side, if anything to distract her from sinking into a state of dark brooding with his gentle, unobtrusive company she had grown so fond of.

“Would you come with me, Teb?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

-

The view from the cottage Aloy had grown up in had not changed much, except for one of the old trees around the slope that led down to the edge of the Embrace. It had broken in a storm, and on the way there Teb and Aloy saw the carcass of a corrupted Scrapper that had made it up here during the fighting. Otherwise everything had remained the same. The Grazer dummies for training, the fox furs hung up to dry, the dusty old broom on the porch…

It was like Rost was still there.

Memories erupted in Aloy’s mind, filling her with a bittersweet sensation of both nostalgia and sorrow. She slowly walked over the wooden boards that lined the path towards the cottage, inwardly counting the torches, each one carrying a small pile of snow in the bowls that were supposed to hold oil and wax. Amber-colored light from the late afternoon sun tinted the fresh snow on the mountain slopes orange, the clouds from earlier dispersed. Teb followed her silently, observing the surroundings he knew Aloy had once lived in.

Aloy came to stand in front of the wooden hut, taking in the stretched leather in their frames, the barrel to keep rainwater and the carved patters in the door she still knew by heart. Aloy only realized how quickly she was breathing when Teb’s warm hand touched her bare arm, grounding her again.

“Do you want to go inside?” he asked quietly.

Aloy shot him a morose smile and shook her head. “No. Not yet, at least. I want to leave everything like it was, for now.”

Teb nodded, his touch caressing up and down her arm. “It’s alright. Do you know where his grave is?”

“I’m not sure, actually. Teersa said it was close to the hut, near the cliff, overseeing the mountains.”

“I’ll help you find it, Aloy.”

It didn’t take them long to spot the place Rost’s body rested. There were some lanterns and a wooden sign to indicate the place, windswept ribbons and a small carved stone with his name and the mark of the tribe, an unexpected detail for an outcast that caused Aloy’s chest to clench with a warm ache. It was far from fancy, but Aloy liked the stoic simplicity of it. It was how Rost would have wanted it himself, and the view from the grave over the Embrace was stunning.

There was a tree trunk close to the grave, and Aloy and Teb sat down on it. In a strange way, it mirrored the situation when Teb had confessed his troubled past to her, before Gered had died, only now it was Aloy mourning the man that had raised her like a daughter.

For a long while, they didn’t speak. Aloy didn’t cry. She could barely remember when she had cried the last time. After Rost had died she’d been injured, shortly after waking up tossed into the next impossible task, no time to mourn him. After all, there was no amount of tears to shed to measure up for all she’d been through. Her way of mourning was quiet, and she was glad Teb respected that.

Teb didn’t press Aloy to say anything, or asked questions about Rost, he simply shuffled close to her so their shoulders were huddled against each other, sharing their body heat. Aloy turned a mess of swirling thoughts over and over in her head, memories of her childhood, a strange kind of anger that Rost had sacrificed his life and died, and incredulous thankfulness.

“Teb, are you… Have you forgiven your father?” Aloy asked eventually.

When Teb didn’t answer she turned her head to peek up at him, and saw the he had furrowed his forehead in thought.

“I don’t know,” he admitted eventually. “I mean, he was my father. Parents have that way, I guess. Even though he made mistakes, I never held a grudge. I was happy with the choices I made. I never regretted becoming a Stitcher. The only thing that made me sad was that Gered didn’t love me as I was. But now, I know he did, in the end. I… I’m just thankful, Aloy. That we made peace,” Teb said quietly, his voice getting more silent with every word until it was barely a whisper. He smiled, though, and curled his fingers around Aloy’s when she reached over to take his hand.

She was silent for a little while longer, then took in a deep breath.

“Rost told me we wouldn’t see each other again, after I joined the Proving and became a tribe member. I was so angry with him, told him I would come and visit him, even when he wouldn’t talk to me. Our last goodbye was nice, though. I told him how much he meant to me. Or, I hope I did. I… I should have said so much more,” Aloy muttered.

“If he died protecting you, Aloy, I don’t think he regretted it. And if he raised and trained you like his own, looking at how well you heeded his teachings… I’m sure Rost knew, and that he was beyond proud,” Teb answered quietly, squeezing her hand.

Aloy shuffled a little closer. She reached for the pendant around her neck and pulled it from the layers of clothing she wore, a small piece of carved bone attached to a leather string. Rost had given it to her before he had said farewell, and Aloy knew it had belonged to him before, that it had been important to him.

“Rost wanted me to leave him so I can return to the Nora,” Aloy said quietly, staring at the pendant. “He wished for me to live among them. To embrace the tribe.”

Aloy wasn’t sure whether she had accomplished that last wish of his, the only thing Rost had ever asked from her. Next to her, Teb gently draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close against his side, as if sensing her inner struggle.

“Well, I am of the tribe, and you’ve embraced me, Aloy. So… That must count for something, right?” he said quietly.

Aloy blinked, then turned her head up to look at Teb. His lips were curled into a gentle smile, his eyes brimming with honest adoration. She felt her chest tighten in a mixture of pain and thankfulness.

“Maybe you’re right,” she managed to rasp with a hoarse voice.

Teb’s eyebrows peaked and he pulled her in. Aloy, overcome by the sudden urge to do _something_ , leaned in and met him in the middle. Their faces were so close to each other that she could see the little golden specks in Teb’s irises. His eyes flicked down to her lips, back up to meet hers, and Aloy felt herself drawn to him. Her heart beat so fast that something _ruptured_ in her chest, leaving behind a warm, shuddering ache, and her mind suddenly overflew with questions, concerns, confusion and _want – was he about to_ …?

Teb didn’t kiss her, though.

He leaned in and gently brushed his nose against Aloy’s for a short moment that felt like forever. Aloy held her breath and closed her eyes when Teb rested his head on top of hers.

“I’m sure it counts, Aloy.”

She could feel his breath ghosting trough his hair as he spoke, his lips brushing her temple for a heartbeat.

Aloy nodded, her insides reeling with that warm, all-consuming glow again, and she gave in to the sensation as she returned Teb’s embrace, tucking her head under his chin.

With Rost’s bone pendant clenched firmly in her hand and the other curled into Teb’s, Aloy remained sitting by the grave until the sun went down, bathing the Embrace sprawled out below in soft, orange light, the tops of the dark fir trees coated in glistening frost. She felt strangely at ease now, recalling fond memories of hunting lessons with Rost, receiving her first spear, listening to stories he told her to soothe her tears over cuts and bruises. When the sun slipped behind the mountain range, Aloy felt worn out and tired, but balanced, as if she’d had time to pay some mind to Rost, getting a little closer to making peace with his death. She stretched her back, causing Teb to lift his head from where he had rested it against hers to look at her.

“We should descend the mountain before it gets too dark.”

Teb nodded in agreement and released her from his arms when she made to get up. Aloy marched through the frozen grass towards the valley, hearing by the footsteps behind her that Teb followed.

 _I should thank him_ , Aloy mused suddenly. _For staying here with me after all he’s been through._

She turned and came face to face with Teb who had noticed her abrupt change of direction too late. They almost bumped into each other, Aloy looking up at the slightly taller man with a lopsided smirk.

“Teb, I wanted to thank you. For sitting there with me and making sure I don’t take roots while brooding.”

Teb’s smile was half touched and half amused. “I gladly did, Aloy.”

Instead of saying anything else, Aloy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Teb, leaning into him as he returned the hug. She had hugged him a lot of times as of lately, waking or half asleep while sharing a bed, first to comfort him and later… out of other reasons. Now, Teb’s embrace started as a friendly gesture of understanding. Very soon, Aloy felt a kind of _shifting_ happening, very much like that time when Teb was braiding her hair and ended up massaging her head until she fell in a blissful stupor. The embrace lasted, Teb’s left hand lingering on her back and the other creeping up to dig into Aloy’s hair and chasing pleasant shivers down her spine, hers caressing up and down his flanks, her face pressed into the curve of his neck.

Aloy realized it was different from a friendly gesture when she felt Teb trembling under her touch.

Raising one eyebrow, she pulled back just a little and looked up at Teb.

“Are you freezing, Teb? You’re shivering.”

Teb huffed and shook his head, a bright blush spreading over his cheeks. “No, I’m not. I… It’s because… Because you’re close, Aloy.”

Aloy tilted her head. “I make you shiver?”

Again, Teb let out a soft laugh, smiling his shy, gentle smile as if he didn’t know how to explain. Instead of answering, he took Aloy’s hand and pressed it against his chest, above the little pouch her wore. Aloy blinked rapidly when she felt Teb’s heartbeat under her palm, fluttering like a bird, warm and excited like the exhilaration after a hunt. It increased even more when her eyes flicked up to his, his blush deepening.

Teb’s racing heartbeat matched hers, Aloy realized.

What it meant was a riddle to her still, one that she was determined to solve, as soon as she could.

 _And I will_ , she thought to herself as she nestled her face against Teb’s collarbone and deeply inhaled the scent of his skin. When Teb released her hand from his grip, Aloy left it on his chest, feeling for his heartbeat.

Eventually, a shadow crept over them as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, and they broke the embrace, realizing just how long they’d been doing nothing but standing there. Teb was squirming a little, cheeks flushed, but his smile was mirrored in Aloy’s face as they finally made their way down the mountain slope. They reached their hut and struggled to get a warming fire going as fast as possible. As soon as the flames started to chase the chill from the air in the hut, they huddled down under thick layers of furs. Teb lay down first while Aloy stashed her weapons away. When she turned, he scooted over a little to make space for her.

 _It’s become so easy to be close_ , Aloy thought briefly when she nestled into Teb’s arms, lying half on her back and half on her side to rest her head against his shoulder, one of her hands placed on his flank. Instead of questioning the closeness as she would have done before, she simply basked in his warmth, starting to feel pleasantly tired.

Before she fell asleep, Aloy’s thoughts strayed to the short talk she’d had with the young huntress about the Matriarchs. There still was her ongoing wish to help bridge the gap between then Nora and Carja once and for all, and now that Teb and Aloy both and settled their affairs in the Embrace her determination to help it along was being rekindled.

“Tomorrow I’ll speak with the Matriarchs,” Aloy murmured, watching the flames from where she had rested her head against Teb. She felt him stir slightly, and one of his hands crept into her hair, his fingers combing lazily over her scalp. Aloy closed her eyes with pleasure as the familiar tingles shot down her spine. Teb’s voice was drowsy when he answered.

“You still think about some kind of friendship between Carja and Nora, right Aloy? I doubt Lansra will cooperate, but maybe you can convince the others. I anyone can do it, it’s you.”

“We’ll see. Taking down a Stormbird with one hand strapped to my back is easier than convincing Lansra to do anything that doesn’t involve gridlocked old Nora traditions,” Aloy muttered, grinning when Teb let out his soft chuckle. She felt his chest shake when he laughed, again overly aware of his closeness as she often felt as of lately, but not in an unpleasant way. Not at all.

“I believe in you, Aloy. In any case, bring your spear,” Teb murmured into her hair as he rolled on his side, curling around her with his limbs and scent. Aloy smiled and closed her eyes, feeling herself drifting off.

When she reached over to press a hand against Teb’s chest to feel for his heartbeat, he didn’t resist, and like that, she fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

XI.

Aloy left Teb’s side as soon as the sun rose above the Embrace, something that got harder the more often they slept huddled against each other like young birds in a nest. Before moving in with him, Aloy had never hesitated long to get up and going, but ever since learning just how pleasant lying next to Teb was, she found that she rather enjoyed lingering a bit longer. Teb was warm and comfortable and smelled wonderful of warm leather and beeswax, reminding her of their place in Meridian so that Aloy caught herself taking some moments to just lie curled into Teb after waking up, pressing against him as she lay in his arms. He was breathing soft and slowly, his dreadlocks in disarray from sleeping. Aloy smiled at his peaceful expression and enjoyed the closeness some more, then reluctantly slipped out of the bed, shivering when her bare feet touched the wooden floor of the hut.

Aloy went for a ride in the forest, looked after Odd Grata and found out she had somehow survived the war. After leaving the old woman a few rabbits like she had done so many times, a half fond and half sad smile on her face when memories flooded her, Aloy descended the mountains again and rode her Strider back to Mother’s Heart.

 _I guess Grata believes All-Mother has saved her from the destruction, if she even noticed the war_ , Aloy thought to herself, frowning when she thought of Karst, who had died in the fighting. Still, she had heard Grata mutter a prayer of thanks, and by now Aloy had accepted her odd way of expressing her gratitude instead of holding a grudge against her for not addressing Aloy directly. Aloy frowned to herself when remembering that deeply rooted anger she had carried within her all her childhood and youth until she had been made a Seeker, caused by the lack of appreciation from others. During the war, she had been barely able to save herself from all the attention she was under which had not really been an improvement, but all that seemed so distant now, like a different life.

 _It’s not only that I’ve found my mother that’s made me feel more balanced_ , Aloy thought to herself. _It’s also the life I have now, the life I share with Teb._

Aloy blushed, but instead of violently rejecting the thought with a frown, she simply accepted it, allowed it to linger in her mind, like a welcome guest. It felt right, as did the fluttering sensation in her core.

Her Strider whickered as it skipped and bounced down the mountain slope back into the forest. Aloy spurred it to a trot once she reached the rocky path that wound its way through a Watcher site and over a wooden bridge towards the signposts pointing to the Nora capital. She passed a merchant and stopped to pick up a handful of dried berries for a second breakfast. After a short moment of consideration, Aloy purchased some more to share them with Teb later.

The early afternoon sun melted the fog and shone on frozen puddles and frost-coated grass as Aloy dismounted her Strider, her breath forming little clouds in the cold air. She left her mount by the gates and entered Mother’s Heart, heading straight for the Matriarch’s lodgings. As she walked past the Stitcher’s workshop that had once belonged to Teb, she was surprised to see him on the porch, surrounded by a group of warriors.

Teb seemed to be talking to a Brave that looked like he was three times Teb’s weight. Again, Aloy approached them slowly, curious to see how Teb would react to all the hunters. She still painfully remembered Talan and some other Braves picking on Teb for staying with the Carja when they had returned to Mother’s Heart, but the villagers’ positive reaction when Teb had shown them some new kind of armor made Aloy hope this encounter would turn out differently.

She was not disappointed.

“And this Carja stuff protects against fire?” the large warrior wanted to know, accepting the finished armor pieces from Teb. Aloy recognized him as Osric, the Brave who had asked a commission from Teb yesterday. Osric was accompanied by a group of hunters, including Talan who stood to the side with a reluctant frown.

Teb nodded. “It does. I wouldn’t recommend standing in front of a Bellowback’s maw, still, but it’s a good deal more efficient than Nora armor.”

Osric nodded approvingly. “Good. Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks, Teb. Here’s your payment.”

Osric handed Teb a leather pouch when another Brave stepped in.

“What about my breastplate?”

“It’s almost done, Fren. Give me time until tomorrow,” Teb replied. Aloy could see a slight flush in his cheeks resulting from the attention of heavy armored warriors he was under, but his voice was firm and confident.

“It’s a shame you’re going back to the Sundom, Teb. I would have good use for the kind of Carja bracers you made for Aloy, and Talan here almost got shredded to death by a Grazer recently. He said a Carja armor might have been better than leather,” Fren remarked. Next to him, Talan squirmed and Aloy couldn’t fight back her smirk when she saw his discomfort.

Teb seemed surprised by that revelation, but positively so. Again, he didn’t seem to hold any grudge against Talan despite his constant disrespect.

“Did you, Talan?” he asked jovially.

Talan stared at his feet and made a face like curdled milk. “Yeah, might have been a good thing. Listen, Teb. Sorry for being an ass to you. Seems like the damn Carja actually make some pretty useful hunting gear. I ain’t saying we should become friends with them and all but some trading wouldn’t hurt anyone,” he admitted grundingly. “You’re doing a good job. Shame you’re leaving.”

Teb smiled his gentle, heartwarming smile. “No harsh feelings, Talan. Thank you. Well, if enough of you make your wish known in the next tribal council, maybe it’ll get fulfilled. The Carja certainly started to like the Nora style. They are very fond of our arrows, I heard.”

Osric laughed, slapped Teb’s back with a hand as large as a frying pan in a friendly-meant gesture that almost knocked him down.

“Do they now? Make sure to tell them they damn well know what a good arrow looks like, then, once you get back.”

Teb’s voice sounded a little strained as he spoke, but his eyes sparkled with amusement. “I will, Osric.”

The Braves left, Fren stopping to remind Teb of the breastplate he expected to be done by tomorrow. They waved a short greeting to Teb, some of them nodding to Aloy as they passed by, heading for the gates.

 _Probably searching for trouble to see how Teb’s new armor holds up_ , Aloy mused with a smirk. Teb sat down on a bench on the porch next to a basket of yarn and picked up an unfinished piece of embroidery. Aloy continued her way and sat down next to Teb, mirroring the gentle smile he shot her.

“Hi, Aloy. How was your hunt?”

“How did you know I was hunting, Teb?”

Teb chuckled. “Let’s see… You have leafs stuck in your hair, there are oil stains on your spear and you have that… that sparkle in your eyes,” he said, his last words gradually turning quieter parallel to his shy smile and blush.

Aloy couldn’t help but smirk back, noticing her cheeks starting to feel warm. “Can’t argue with that. See, you can be an amazing tracker, Teb. You are very observant.”

Teb shuffled a little closer, reached for Aloy’s hair and carefully plucked out a surprisingly large number of dead leaves and pine needles.

“Only if it comes to you.”

His hand stayed close, moving up to gently caress down the side of her face, down to her jaw. His fingers splayed over her cheek, his thumb brushing over her lips for such a short moment it might as well never happened.

Aloy leaned into the touch, that dizzying sensation inside her back.

“Are you going to the Matriarchs now?” Teb asked quietly, taking his hand away. He picked up his embroidery again and continued knotting the yarn into intricate patterns, some of the strands looped around his bone needle and some around his fingers. Aloy blinked.

“I… yes. Soon. I was going to eat something first,” she replied, remembering the berries she had bought earlier. Bending down to pick the birch bark package out of her satchel offered her a moment of time to get her blush under control and her racing heartbeat back to normal. A part of her craved to feel Teb’s hand on her skin again, but certainly not in the middle of the bustling village.

“Do you want some as well?” Aloy asked Teb after eating some of the dried berries. “I have enough to share.”

Teb shot the berries on Aloy’s outstretched palm a longing glance, then looked back at the carefully arranged loops of yarn around his fingers.

“I’d very much like to, Aloy, but I’m afraid I need both hands for this. I’d like to finish it while I still have sunlight,” he said apologetically.

Aloy frowned, realizing he was right. She hadn’t thought of that. His hands were basically tied together for the technique he was using, a complex sequence of finger movements that completely eluded her, but were fascinating to watch.

An idea emerged in her mind, and before she allowed her thoughts to question it Aloy simply picked up a berry and held it in front of Teb’s face.

Teb’s glance flicked to the berry, then back to Aloy, amusement warring with insecurity on his face. Eventually, while still watching her carefully, Teb brought his face closer to her hand and gingerly took the berry from her fingers with his mouth. Aloy couldn’t help but laugh at the silly smile on his face as he chewed. Encouraged, she picked up another berry and held it out to him. Teb smirked widely as he allowed himself to be fed by her.

“I think this works,” he commented, chuckling when Aloy nodded. She continued eating her berries as Teb continued his embroidery. Every now and then Aloy fed a berry to Teb so he didn’t have to set his work down, each time smirking when he carefully picked it from her fingers with his mouth. It inevitably involved that Teb’s lips got in contact with her fingertips every so often, but Aloy didn’t mind in the least. Feeding him was surprisingly enjoyable, she found, like all the other kinds of contact with him she had come to appreciate. Or, even more so, she had come to _crave_ , in a way that was still new to her.

When the berries were empty, Aloy was almost disappointed she had nothing left to feed Teb with. Trying not to get confused about that fierce glow already building up in her again, a phantom of the sensation when Teb’s lips touched her fingertips still lingering on her hand, she decided to finally meet the Matriarchs and get it over with.

“Wish me luck with the Matriarchs, Teb. I sure need it.”

Teb laid down the embroidery for a moment, and Aloy saw that he was as good as finished. Part of wondered if he had intentionally prolonged the work a little to give her more time to feed him with berries.

“Good luck, then. Though you won’t need it, Aloy. You’ll do your best, I know that.”

Teb smiled, and they both did the same thing, as if there was an unconscious agreement between them, subtly looking left and right to see if they were under anyone’s observance. When they had made sure they were not, Aloy quickly leaned in and wrapped her arms around Teb’s slender waist, getting enveloped in his sweet, earthy scent as he returned the embrace. It only lasted a short moment, but when they parted Aloy saw that warm darkness in Teb’s eyes again.

She shouldered her spear and made her way up to the Matriarch’s lodge, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

The Matriarch’s longhouse was by far the largest in Mother’s Heart, if not the entire Sacred Lands, hosting the changing number of High Matriarchs depending on the generations they had under their wings. There were no hunting trophies, no dead machines mounted on poles to boast prowess in the wilderness. Instead, the longhouse was decorated with sacred ornaments, traditional lanterns and a myriad of candles illuminating effigies symbolizing All-Mother’s life-giving womb. It was very warm and the scent of incense was thick in the stale air. Aloy immediately missed the fresh breeze outside, but she was determined to see this through before Teb and her left for the Sundom again.

Teersa, Jezza and Lansra greeted her readily, the latter still with a demeanor as if she couldn’t decide whether she should kneel in front of Aloy or yell at her for being different from the others. Aloy stuck to Teersa, mostly, with whom she exchanged some friendly talk about the outcomes of the war, the ongoing repairs in the Embrace and the tribe’s new Stitcher. The mention of Teb’s absence made Lansra bristle.

“I still think we should make Gered’s son an outcast for staying with the faithless,” Lansra hissed, and Aloy had to bite her tongue to keep her spear where it rested on her back. “Making such a high number of tribe members Seekers was an exception, after all. He should have come back much sooner, and stayed. A Nora living with the Carja, hah!”

“Does the mark of the Seeker wear off, all of a sudden?” Aloy asked as politely as she could. “I was told it allows the bearer to come and go anywhere, as they please. Or was I informed wrongly?”

Lansra opened her mouth to reply, but Teersa pitched in before she could. “You are right, Aloy. If Teb wishes to live outside the Embrace, he shall do so.”

Aloy shot her a smile, nodding thankfully. “Speaking of which…” she ventured, deciding to jump right into it.

“… I wanted to talk about the Carja with you, and the border between the Sundom and the Sacred Lands. Ever since I got in contact with the Carja, their attitude towards the Nora has improved rapidly. Kind Avad readily joined forces with me, as did the Oseram. Teb probably hasn’t been bragging with it, but the Carja have developed an interest in Nora culture, as did some Braves here in Mother’s Heart, asking Teb for Carja armor. His wares sell quickly and there is a growing demand for trading. If you ask me, the time is right to open the border between our territories,” Aloy concluded, stubbornly holding the old women’s stares.

As expected, Lansra immediately exploded with indignation.

“This is absurd! You’re asking us to forget the crimes the Carja have committed against the Nora! There is no way we’re opening the Sacred Land for these monsters!”

“I am not asking you to forget, Lansra. Nobody will ever forget it, especially not Sun King Avad. The violent Carja are a group that split from his people, sticking to the old ways from the times of the Red Raids – the Shadow Carja. Sun King Avad removed the former king from the throne himself. He seeks to control them, capture their leaders and bring them to their judgment. It’s already started. The Sun Carja under Avad’s reign are peaceful people, no different from us,” Aloy argued.

Lansra opened her mouth to speak, but Jezza interrupted her before she could do so.

“Aloy, what are you asking of us? The Sacred Lands have sheltered the Nora for countless generations, are you asking to merge the tribe with the world around it? Do you really think it would improve anything?” she said, politely but still with doubt in her voice.

Aloy frowned. “I’m not asking you to drop all your traditions. I’m just asking to address the other cultures, the Carja, Oseram and Banuk, with open arms, like Teb and I do. The more connected our tribes are, the less reason for bloodshed. It means making powerful friends, not letting enemies in. If the Carja had been there to support us when the Eclipse attacked the Embrace, dozens of lives could have been saved.”

It was a low blow, Aloy knew, reminding the Matriarchs of the massacre when the Eclipse stormed the Embrace with their corrupted machines. Still, she was determined to get her point across if she wanted to get anywhere. She pressed on.

“I’m asking for a trading trail, for a start. The permission for Nora hunters and merchants to leave the Sacred Lands without getting made outcasts. Allow them to visit Meridian, or Pitchcliff, to settle down if they want. Please, I know you are all wishing for peace, and peace means more than a ceasefire. It should be a friendly relationship between the tribes, trust and exchange,” Aloy concluded. Lansra still looked like she had swallowed a spider, but Teersa and Jezza exchanged a thoughtful glance.

“Well, Aloy… You are suggesting things that haven’t happened for ages. Tell us, is Teb a citizen already? Are you? Will the Carja King allow Nora to settle down?” Teersa wanted to know.

Aloy blinked, thrown out of balance. Avad had never mentioned her being an official citizen and neither had Teb.

“I… We are working on that. Sun King Avad trusts me, and I’m sure if I vouch for Teb and other Nora he’ll not hesitate to allow them free access to his realms,” she answered, hoping that her insecurity about this point was not audible in her tone. Lansra narrowed her eyes at her, but didn’t dare to give her any backtalk.

Teersa sighed. “You are right, Aloy. We do long for peace. I know your intentions are true, but breaking with so many traditions just like that won’t be as easy as you might think, child. For now, we can promise you that trading will be a first step, given that Sun King Avad agrees to an open border, and protected crossing through their territory. But anything more than that could be troublesome… Nora settling down, or even finding a mate there… We cannot give them a Mate Blessing that far away from the Scared Lands, or speak the name of their children. It has never happened before that Nora made a life on the other side of the border.”

“A Nora choosing someone from another tribe would be an insult to All-Mother,” Lansra hissed. “Or a Nora getting a mate under foreign rituals, unspeakable!”

Aloy was about to snap back a retort, asking what would be so terrible about giving a couple a Mate Blessing outside of the border as if All-Mother couldn’t see that far, but bit back her reply, afraid to offend Jezza or Teersa as well.

“So, trading at least? I’ll talk to Sun King Avad, he’ll agree to it. I’ll send an envoy, then. Just make sure not to shoot them at the border.”

Lansra made a face, but Teersa and Jezza chuckled. The High Matriarchs seemed to be done with the topic, and Aloy suddenly realized the light shining in through the wooden beams in the roof turning the color of copper. She hurried to politely excuse herself, bidding the old women good bye.

Outside, the sun had begun to set, early as it did this late in the year. Frost glittered in the grass as Aloy made her way back into Mother’s Heart. The stubbornness Aloy had expected from the Matriarchs hadn’t been as bad as she had feared, but there still seemed many more obstacles to overcome before anyone could even think of a friendly relationship between Carja and Nora. Shaking off her frustration, Aloy breathed deeply, relishing the refreshing cold on her skin and inside her lungs. When she arrived at the Stitcher’s workshop, Teb wasn’t there. Debra, the friendly old mother that had replaced his position, told Aloy he had finished his work for the day and taken a walk up the mountain slope, behind the hut they both slept in.

Aloy thanked Debra and activated her focus once reaching the trampled grass behind the house. She quickly found Teb’s tracks, easy to follow since he’d not bothered to hide them. His footprints led up the mountain, still within the walls of Mother’s Heart but on a small plateau out of sight from the village. The sound of voices got quieter the further she marched, replaced by the sound of late birds and the wind.

Soon Aloy spotted Teb sitting cross-legged on a narrow bench, his hands draped lazily over his thighs. His eyes were closed as he basked in the early evening sunshine. The sun turned the bare skin of his arms and shoulders the same color as amber and brought out the blue pigments on his dreadlocks. There was the hint of a smile playing over his lips as he enjoyed the last warmth after a day at the workbench.

Aloy approached him quietly to avoid startling him. Teb looked peaceful and at ease, and, Aloy found with that gentle glow heating up her chest, _beautiful_ , in a way. Blinking, she took in his sight for a long moment.

When Teb suddenly turned his head and opened his eyes, his lips stretching into a wide smile when he spotted her, Aloy flinched and felt herself blush for staring at him.

“Hi, Aloy. Want to join me?”

Aloy just nodded and trotted over to him, making sure to look as casual as possible. Teb scooted over a little to make space for her to sit next to him.

“Did your talk with the Matriarchs go well?” he wanted to know when Aloy flopped down by his side.

“Well, more or less. No greater argument. They will agree to a trading trail if Sun King Avad agrees to it as well and promises to keep traveling Nora safe.”

Teb nodded. “Sounds like you were successful, then.”

Aloy turned her face into the wind, staring out into the Embrace splayed out before them. “Yes, but so far, that’s all they allow. I was hoping for more than simple tolerance without shredding each other to pieces, to be honest.”

She turned her head back to Teb when she felt his arm looping around her shoulders. His eyes sparkled with pride when he looked at her, and the sunlight illuminated them in an angle that brought out the little gold flecks within the deep green. Aloy’s words stuck in her throat.

“It’s a start. I see you’ve gotten used to changing the world within a few months, Aloy… believe me, this is a step in the right direction. I know you’re not too fond of this, but… All-Mother would be proud of your work. She wouldn’t want her children to hide in this valley forever,” Teb said, and he spoke with such conviction that Aloy’s heart beat faster.

“At least All-Mother would appreciate my iron self control when not yelling at Lansra,” Aloy muttered, smirking when Teb laughed.

“I’m sure she would,” he replied. Aloy shifted into his side and Teb gently pulled her in. He didn’t comment when Aloy rested her head against his bare shoulder, rubbing little circles over her arm. They sat like that for a moment, enjoying the view and the warmth the other provided against the chilly breeze.

“Aloy…?” Teb asked suddenly, very quietly. He waited for Aloy to lift her head from his shoulder until she was looking at him, then continued.

“Will you… do you want to come back to Meridian with me, Aloy?”

Aloy’s eyebrows rose and she stared at Teb as if he had told her he’d seen a talking Glinthawk. It had been absolutely out of the question that she’d come with him. She had never even considered anything else _but_ returning to Meridian. Where else would she go?

 _I could go anywhere if I wanted_ , Aloy’s mind piped up. _Except that I don’t want to._

“Of course I will, Teb. Why would I not?”

Teb looked relieved for a moment, but then his eyebrows peaked with insecurity again. “Well, we never spoke about it. I thought after the journey here you’d want some adventures again instead of… you know. Hunting parts for me so I can make dresses. I don’t want to hold you back.”

Aloy huffed. Words were not sufficient to express just how much their work meant to her, and how much she had come to enjoy the way they lived together, his company most of all.

She had to try very hard not to think of that _curiosity_ she had developed, and that fiercely grew the more Teb got back to his old self. She reached over and took one of Teb’s hands in hers.

“I’m going to stay with you, Teb, no matter what. I really want to, okay? I… “

She broke off, feeling her mouth go dry when Teb’s eyes bore into her as if trying to read her mind as he waited for her to finish the phrase.

Aloy found that she couldn’t.

Her eyes were drawn to Teb’s lips, and with adrenaline surging through her veins she realized the same about him, his gaze flicking down to her mouth, then back up to her eyes. Her lids felt heavy all of a sudden, but she couldn’t keep her stare from his face, longing to get closer so she could see the intricate little specks of gold in his large irises. Aloy’s chest ached with a nameless want as Teb pulled her in.

A mass of emotions warred for dominance inside Aloy, her insides dissolving into a warm, fluttering dizziness as she waited for Teb to press his lips against hers, interrupted by an inner voice speaking up in sudden insecurity _– what if she did anything wrong, she had no idea how this worked after all, did she really want this_ …?

But Teb didn’t kiss her, he simply gently rested his forehead against Aloy’s. They stayed like that for a long moment, close enough to feel the other’s breath on their lips. Aloy blinked, emerging from the sudden surge of confusion she’d been in. A part of her was thankful that Teb had not initiated anything, as if he could instinctively feel the insecurity in her without having to ask. Maybe it was for the better, maybe he needed to be sure she really wanted it before kissing her…

Still, a part of Aloy was disappointed, craved for it like the curiosity growing in her, and that was new.

Eventually, Teb withdrew and they settled down side by side again, but stayed close, wrapped in the other’s arms. Aloy, deciding that brooding over her indecisiveness was only going to kill the mood, tried making up for it by bringing her left hand up to cradle the back of Teb’s head, gently rubbing her fingers over his ear. She was immediately rewarded by a quiet moan that sent a shiver down her spine. Teb slumped into her embrace when Aloy kept caressing his temple and the soft skin behind his ear. He responded by digging both hands into her hair, massaging over her scalp like he had done so many times to relax her. Aloy shuddered with pleasure and got so wrapped up in his attentions that she almost, but not quite missed the surge of tension that went through Teb when she let out a soft moan right next to his head.

The mutual caresses lasted until a particularly strong breeze made Teb shiver, and by now Aloy knew when he was trembling of cold and when he was trembling because she was touching him. As much as she was enjoying their embrace, she still pulled Teb up and ushered him back down the mountain. Teb complied, eagerly following her with his arms wrapped around himself to keep warm, but when Aloy peeked back over her shoulder she saw that his cheeks were flushed, and a shy smile played around his lips. She made to enter the hut they slept in, but Teb walked past her into the Stitcher’s workshop, waving her to follow.

Debra was rummaging in the kitchen corner, one of her many grandchildren cradled in her arm while stirring in a pot. Teb briefly greeted her and led Aloy through the hut straight to the workshop. Apparently Debra had allowed him to claim one of the workbenches to finish the commissioned armor for Osric and Fren. Aloy was so familiar with his style after the many times she had watched him work that she could pick Teb’s way of making clothing out from any assortment of garments. She immediately spotted the finished breastplate for Fren, Nora materials like boar skin and Strider shell merged into the efficient, light-weight Carja style.

Teb came to stand in front of the armor, picking up a bone awl to attach a few last touches.

“I just wanted to show you that we can leave in time, tomorrow, like you planned. It’s almost done,” he said, looping blue wires around an edge with nimble, elegant hand movements. He was so excited that he didn’t even look up as he spoke. “I used the parts of the Strider shell above the rear, where the Blaze canister is located. I found out they offer the best protection against fire, and since Fren asked for fire proof armor I guess this will do the trick… Do you think he will like it?”

Aloy leaned against the workbench, looking at his face as he worked. A smile played around her lips, she realized vaguely, and she didn’t try to stop it. Teb’s eyes had that soft shine again that always accompanied his passion about his work. His gentle, balanced confidence that Aloy had missed so much ever since he got the bad news was back, his unique kind of courage and strength.

Everything that Aloy had always admired in Teb had been rekindled in him, and it filled her with a feeling of pride and joy that burned away all sorrow and worry they had gone through in the past weeks.

Teb finally realized that Aloy was yet to answer and looked up.

“Aloy?”

“I think he’ll love it, Teb. You’re doing a great job.”

Teb’s honest smile made her chest warm up. “Thank you, Aloy.”

He continued his work, hiding his blush, but didn’t completely turn his head away. He quickly finished the last stitches on the breastplate’s edge, then picked up a brush and a pot with blue clay pigment. He carefully painted a sacred symbol for luck on the armor, then set it aside and took a step back, tilting his head as he looked his work over.

“Are you done?” Aloy asked quietly, stepping in close to him. After only a heartbeat of hesitation, she looped an arm around his waist, pulling him against her side. Teb all but melted into her.

“I’m done. Tomorrow, we can go back to Meridian.”

Before Aloy could do anything about her thoughts, they quietly added:

_Back home._


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently learned that Teb's name is derived from the Spanish name "Esteban" and for some reason the thought of Aloy calling him "Esteban" when she's angry is fucking adorable.
> 
> Also, please enjoy the chapter.

XII.

“Well done, Teb! Thank you, I’ll be off to the Valleymeet Hunting Grounds to test the breastplate right now.”

The friendly-meant slap on the shoulder Teb got from the tall, sturdy-built Fren almost knocked the air out of him, but he managed to remain standing.

“No problem, Fren. I hope it’ll suit your needs,” Teb replied, sounding a little strained.

“I’m sure it will. Osric was thrilled about his Carja shoulder pads, so I have high hopes. See you then, Teb, maybe even in Meridian, who knows? May All-Mother protect.”

Teb waved Fren farewell as the Brave shouldered his new breastplate and disappeared into one of the longhouses, without a doubt to gather some companions eager to look for something to beat up. Smiling to himself, Teb stashed a few packages of dried meat, nuts, boiled eggs and berry cakes, wrapped in birch bark, into his satchel. He’d asked Fren for food for the journey rather than shards, and was pleasantly surprised at the variety the Brave had offered him in return for the Carja breastplate.

 _We definitely won’t have to worry about finding food up in the mountains_ , Teb mused with a content smile as he made his way to the gates of Mother’s Heart. Some villagers were waving to him and he greeted them back. There were still some Nora that shot him odd looks or commented that he had the audacity to go back to the faithless Carja on his own accord, but they were much quieter than before witnessing Teb’s exchange with the groups of hunters and their approval of his gear. Teb ignored them; not that they had bothered him in any way before, when he had had his mind elsewhere as was worrying for his father and his fear of facing his past. Teb’s determination to return to Meridian was out of the question, no matter what any close-minded villagers might think, especially now that Teb had made sure Aloy was willing to go back together with him.

Teb’s stomach filled with buzzing warmth when he thought of her, like it always did, but even more so when he spotted her familiar fire-red mane outside the gates. She was up and about, as usual, busying herself with attaching their gear onto a Strider that waited patiently for her to finish.

When Teb reached her, she looked up and shot him a smile that sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. No matter how often he had seen it, Teb knew that would never change.

“Good morning, Teb. That’s our food?”

“Hi, Aloy. I think it should be more than enough if we can manage to catch some fresh meat or fish in between. Fren was very generous,” he replied and handed her the satchel.

Aloy took the satchel from him and checked its contents, nodding in satisfaction. She strapped it between her blast sling and the bag filled with bombs.

“That’s a not a lot of ammunition,” Teb remarked amused. Aloy shot him a smirk that he mirrored.

“I doubt we need that much. Still, it’s almost the usual amount, just distributed differently. All my bombs are in one bag now instead of many.”

Teb shrugged. Aloy had naturally always been the one to take care of their hunting and fighting gear, and he trusted her judgment of how much they required. He watched as she swung herself onto the Strider in a movement like a leaping trout, all slender legs and powerful grace that he felt he could never get tired of admiring. Aloy scooted backwards a little, making space in front of her. She was suggesting Teb to ride the first section of the way, and even though he was mildly surprised he found that he didn’t mind.

Adjusting himself comfortably on the Strider’s back and taking the cables in his hands, Teb clicked his tongue and urged the machine into motion. Soft morning sunshine made frozen spider webs glisten like tiny crystals, their breath catching as clouds in the cold, fresh air. The Strider’s hooves crunched on the frosty grass as the machine settled for a trot. Teb felt Aloy wrapping her arms around his middle to hold onto him, and together they left Mother’s Heart behind. Before they reached the crossing that split up the road into several smaller paths, Teb suddenly felt Aloy leaning close behind his back. He could feel her breath against his ear as she spoke, sending a powerful shiver down his spine that almost made him gasp.

“Bring the Strider to a gallop. Don’t ask me why, just do it. Go!” she whispered urgently, and Teb had to willingly remind himself to keep breathing, his abdomen stirring with interest. Still, he managed to follow her advice. He clicked his tongue again and pressed his heels into the Strider’s flanks, leaning forward as the heavy machine first reared up with a high-pitched whicker and then accelerated, dashing forward with powerful jumps that made the ground shake, rocks skittering aside under the thundering metal hooves. Teb focused as hard as he could to keep the machine under his control, calming himself with the knowledge that Aloy could always reach around him to take the reins. The frozen ground provided good foothold, though, and they raced over the path as if a pack of Scrappers was after them.

The Strider kept up the gallop for a good while, but when the forest got denser and the path narrower with wooden bridges spanning the river, Aloy signaled Teb to slow it down a little. Teb did as she asked and they continued with a light canter.

“What was that about, Aloy? There wasn’t any danger you wanted me to flee from, right?” Teb asked, still wondering why she had encouraged him to gallop out of Mother’s Heart instead of simply riding like they did now.

Teb could hear in Aloy’s tone that she was grinning.

“Well, it happens that your good friend Talan exited the gates after us and I wanted him to see what you are capable of. His face when the Strider reared and then ran off with you at the reins was priceless,” she chuckled. Teb burst out laughing, feeling Aloy pitch in behind him. He turned his head back over his shoulder until he could see her from the corner of his eye. Seeing her laugh made his chest clench with a sweet ache.

“You wanted to impress him? I don’t hold a grudge against Talan,” Teb remarked, but still smiled, touched by Aloy’s gesture.

Aloy chuckled. “I know, Teb. I know that. I just felt like showing off your skills a little. Talan looked like he had seen you killing a Sawtooth with your eyes closed. That will certainly teach him to be a little less of an ass next time you meet.”

While she spoke, Teb felt her hand press against his stomach. The arms she had looped around his waist tightened ever so slightly, the pressure of her palms against his abdomen turning almost into a soft caress. Teb leaned back into her as far as he could without confusing the Strider, placing his own hand on Aloy’s and giving it a thankful squeeze. They exchanged another smile before Teb had to focus on the path again, steering the machine over a narrow bridge towards the Main Embrace Gate.

They rode in comfortable silence, thankful for the sunny autumn weather that chased some of the chill from the air. Teb felt Aloy rest her head against his shoulder, the thumb of her left hand drawing little circles where she had pressed it against his stomach. He made a face when he felt his loins misbehaving again, trying to quench the surge of arousal that did nothing to make sitting on the machine any more pleasant by breathing deeply and staring straight ahead into the forest.

Despite that, Teb deeply appreciated the new approach Aloy and he had once more come to experience. He knew their first hugs had happened when he had been at an emotional low – Aloy being there for him, allowing him to share his pain with her, meant more to Teb than he could ever put into words. Still, it also hadn’t eluded him that over time, their regular embraces and closeness when they slept had dramatically changed in their nature.

Aloy was trying to please him as much as he tried to please her.

At first, a part of Teb had refused to believe the mere thought, as if one of his most secret desires had suddenly come true. When Aloy had repeatedly sought out spots he particularly liked when returning his caresses, like his ears or the back of his neck, Teb had realized that she was very much aware of what it did to him, and that she actively touched him in ways that made him respond with pleasure.

As much as he enjoyed it, Teb wasn’t quite sure if Aloy would ever allow him to initiate more than that, intimate touches that involved more of what they already did and less clothing, and if she was aware of her own response. Teb had heard Aloy making those soft moans of pleasure when he touched her shoulders or massaged her head, seen her blush and felt her heartbeat speeding up, and even though he knew that Aloy liked it a lot he couldn’t be certain if she knew what it _meant_. Teb was very sure that Aloy had never had any kind of intimate experiences with another person, growing up as an outcast and after finally getting to meet other people setting out to save the world from destruction, and hadn’t cared much about sensual contact either. That knowledge made Teb appreciate their close relationship all the more, making him feel honored and blessed with her trust, even if it left his careful observance and respect of Aloy’s boundaries unchanged.

A few times now, Teb had almost forgotten himself and kissed her – there had been situations in which he could almost feel her lips on his, a heated tension hanging between them that got almost unbearable as Teb desperately tried to hold himself back from pulling her in and kissing her until they both forgot how to think. Aloy must have felt at least some of that tension, he was sure.

Oh, how much he wanted it.

Still, Teb had learned to read Aloy’s body language like a second tongue over the months they had lived together. He knew by tiny changes in her expression, the minuscule tightening of the pressure of her hands against him and the slightest shudder that Aloy was still insecure about kissing him, and Teb would rather jump off a cliff than risking to unsettle her by venturing something she hadn’t giver her consent for. He didn’t want her to regret what he assumed to be her first kiss. He wanted it to be enjoyable, and if Aloy still needed time for that, no matter how long, Teb would gladly wait.

Still, if his arousal around her had been hard to hide before, now it was almost impossible.

Teb leaned back into Aloy, enjoying the feel of her warm body pressed against his back and the scent of her beautiful hair that wafted over to him every now and then. The sun rose further until it reached its peak at noon, warming them as they rode towards the north. The mountain slopes were white with the first snow, parts of the rivers and streams coated in ice. Around early afternoon, they took a short break so Aloy could catch some fish, standing on a rock in the stream and expertly stabbing two large salmons as they leaped from the water. Teb tied them to the Strider to roast them later as soon as they would stop to set up a camp. The next section of the way Aloy rode the Strider, Teb letting his head sink against her backplate.

When he started casually raking the fingers of his left hand trough Aloy’s curls, she turned her head back for a moment to shoot him a smile that made Teb’s mouth turn dry, then focused back on the path before them, arching into Teb’s touch.

For the first few days of their journey, they were blessed with steady weather and a safe trip, but as soon as they left Daytower behind them, their luck changed for the worse.

-

Aloy could see the towers of Meridian peeking through the morning mist as they descended the mountain range, and her heart beat faster with a feeling of exhilaration. Their trip so far had been so calm and eventless that Aloy had decided to take it a little more slowly, spending more time on the coasts of lakes and clearings to rest and sleep between the sections of riding now that they were no longer in a hurry. She had realized that Teb enjoyed travelling with her as long as it didn’t involve stressful thoughts pressing them forward. Before, when coming to the Embrace to see Teb’s dying father, their breaks had been necessities, but now they took their time sitting by the campfire and talking as if they were already back home in Meridian. It was so good to see Teb back to his old self that Aloy couldn’t help but smile to herself whenever she saw him.

Their newfound closeness when sleeping in the small stitcher’s hut together persisted during their trip as well. Every time they made a stop to sleep, Teb nestled up against Aloy, curling around her to keep each other warm, and each time Aloy responded readily, her hands seeking out his back, his flank, his shoulders, caressing over his skin in her growing curiosity to explore the shapes of his body through his tunic.

Aloy frowned to herself as she steered the Strider down the rocky mountain path, away from Daytower and towards the Greatrun desert. The deep sensation of warmth and dizziness that she had noticed to grow the closer she and Teb got had widened into a sense of frustration, and Aloy wasn’t quite sure how to deal with it. A few times, she had caught herself longing for Teb to kiss her, to get closer in a way she didn’t even know how to describe, as if her body craved for a kind of food she had never even tasted. Another part of her was still reluctant, felt spooked like a startled Watched whenever Teb and she suddenly found themselves under that odd tension again. The doubts and questions and _what ifs_ kept circling in her mind without Aloy being able to chase them away, and still she longed to give in to the craving, letting him kiss her. This was Teb, after all.

Aloy sighed to herself and focused on steering the Strider through the desert as the sun rose, beating down on the red sand. She decided to wait for the things to come, even though deep down she knew that only by _not_ watching her own thoughts all the time she would be able to trick her own insecurities, and how was she supposed to accomplish that?

They rode through the day, trying to use every patch of shadow that overhangs, dead trees and rocky outcrops provided as they crossed the desert, making their way past guarded towers until Lone Light became visible in the west. They set up a camp under the stars, building a makeshift tent out of spare blankets draped over the resting Strider. The next morning, Teb asked to make a stop in Lone Light to visit a former customer and spread the word that he was soon going to be back in business, giving Aloy the opportunity to stock up on fresh water. The Carja villagers greeted Teb readily, and it warmed Aloy’s heart when she saw how his good reputation had persisted. After that, they continued their way over sunbaked rocks and yellow, dusty sand past the former bandit camp towards the mesa. The landscape didn’t change much until late afternoon when they reached the mesa and its colorful rock formations.

Pebbles rhythmically sliding aside with the echo of steps as heavy as if they were caused by a creature as large as a mountain were the first warning they got.

Aloy’s focus revealed the silhouette of a Thunderjaw behind a series of wall-shaped stones, the metal giant slowly striding across the mesa, still out of their view. Behind her, Aloy could feel Teb tense up.

“Aloy, what was that? It felt like an earthquake…” he whispered.

“A Thunderjaw” Aloy replied quietly. She turned back over her shoulder when she heard Teb inhale sharply. “No need to worry. Well, not yet. It hasn’t seen us, and they usually only attack if provoked ever since GAIA was rebooted. We should be safe, I’ll just steer us around it. Alright?”

Teb’s eyebrows were drawn together in a mixture of hopeful trust in Aloy and deep concern when they ground shook under massive footsteps once more.

“Usually…?”

Aloy laid a hand on his knee next to her. “We’ll be fine, Teb. I promise. Let’s just keep going. I’ll keep an eye on it with my focus.”

Teb searched her face for a moment, then nodded, something brave flaring up in his expression. “Okay. Just tell me what to do.”

“As much as I like talking to you, be quiet. Alright?” Aloy joked, trying to sound less nervous than she was. It had been a while since she had hunted a Thunderjaw, and she didn’t have a lot of ammunition with her despite arrows and one bag of bombs, not even mentioning that she had an anxious Teb to keep safe.

Teb huffed out a nervous laugh. “Alright, I guess...”

He clung closer to her back as Aloy steered the Strider over the steep path that wound around the mesa. They had to get at least a little closer to get past it since the only accessible way was the one they were already on, apart from a mountain path leading along the edge of the near cliff that had been inaccessible the last time Aloy had used it, months ago. She knew she had to stick to the narrow path and activated her focus every other moment, carefully observing the Thunderjaw as the Strider picked its way around the mesa.

Suddenly, small dots appeared in the focus, dots that moved quickly over the steep cliff formations above the mesa where the Thunderjaw patrolled. Aloy squinted, counting three of the moving figures.

“There are people…?” she whispered unbelieving. “Seems like they managed to get up to the cliff and now they watch the Thunderjaw from above.”

“What are they doing?” Teb asked quietly.

“I have no idea, Teb. Hopefully nothing stupid.”

At least, they had to steer the Strider out in the open, and the Thunderjaw came into view. The huge, bipedal machine seemed peaceful still, its large head slowly swinging from side to side parallel to the long tail as it sauntered heavily over the mesa, its arsenal of weapons still deactivated. Their mount was slowing trotting past close enough that Aloy could see the yellow designs from the cauldron on the flank of the Thunderjaw and the jagged markings spears and sandstorms left on its steel hull.

Aloy heard Teb take in a sharp breath, remembering it was the first time he actually saw one.

“It’s so big…” he whispered, sounding half awed and half horrified. Aloy took one of his hands that he had looped around her waist and squeezed it.

“Big, but still undisturbed by our presence. We’ll just casually ride by and it’ll be fine.”

“What about those people on the mountain?”

Aloy focused on them, finally able to tell by the jagged shape of spears and split metal shafts attached to their backs just what kind of people they were. She frowned.

“Bandits… I thought they were all gone. Nil was right, they keep coming back as long as there is something to take by force.”

Teb brought his face next to Aloy’s so they had the same line of vision, peering up at the group of bandits moving about on the edge of a cliff above the Thunderjaw. Teb sounded worried when he spoke.

“What are they doing…? They aren’t going to push down that boulder to kill it, are they?”

Aloy’s eyes widened in alarm. “What do you mean?”

Before Teb could answer, one of the large boulders on top of the cliffs started moving. Aloy could see that it actually were the bandits that pushed it into motion by levering it forward with their spears until it tumbled over the edge, plummeting down on the Thunderjaw below.

The boulder hit the machine’s neck, smashing into the metal with the force it had collected during its fall. The Thunderjaw roared like a hundred angry Ravagers, its tail coming up as the boulder pressed its head down into the sand. The machine’s legs were kicking and scraping gashes into the ground as it struggled against its injury, its blue headlights burning up in a bright, aggressive red. The disclaunchers on the machine’s back slotted into place.

“Aloy…” Teb whispered anxiously behind her, tightening his grip around her waist. Aloy reached for her bow, handing it to Teb before claiming the blast sling for herself.

“It’s going to be fine. I don’t think that was enough to kill it, but if we run straight past it we’ll hopefully go unnoticed. I think it will focus on the bandits on top of the cliff,” she said hastily, watching the machine’s movements while at the same time putting a blast bomb into the sling. She knew her arrows were useless against the Thunderjaw while its armor was still intact, and she didn’t have time to strip the plates with tearblasts when it was already alerted. Blast bombs were her best bet now, and Aloy hoped she had enough.

As expected, the Thunderjaw shook off the boulder from where it had smashed a large gash into its neck, sparks and viscous liquids spilling out like blood. It lifted its head and roared with rage.

“Go!” Aloy yelled, digging her heels into the Strider’s flanks. “Hold on Teb!”

The Strider fell into a heavy gallop, Aloy spurring it into full speed. She still hoped she could avoid a fight with an injured, raging Thunderjaw. A horrible screeching noise told her that the Thunderjaw had fired its discs, a moment later followed by the sound of its powerful mandibular cannons. The blasts were directed up to the cliff were the bandits had ambushed the machine, letting the top of the cliff erupt in a red cloud of dust and exploding rocks.

When Aloy risked a glimpse up with her focus, she realized that all three bandits were dead, their unmoving bodies scattered about the cliff.

_Which means the Thunderjaw’s only target is us._

It took the metal giant only a few moments to spot them as they raced past, and in a few giant steps it had caught up to the running Strider. Aloy managed to nock a blast bomb, aiming for the charging Thunderjaw, but then the Strider tripped over a loose rock and a lot of things happened in rapid succession.

Within the split second the machine’s leg lost its footing, Aloy yanked the reins around before the Strider could fall and crush its riders under it. It spun around and instead of falling it drifted to a messy stop in a cloud of dust and pebbles and sparks flying up as metal scraped over the quickly approaching ground, but when it came to a halt it landed on its belly like she had intended, not on top of Aloy or Teb. Half a chaotic moment later Aloy had blindly grabbed her sling from its holster, their satchel and a pack of arrows, thrusting it into Teb’s hands, the earth quaking with the rhythm and the roar of the Thunderjaw as it closed the distance.

“Take cover! Come!” Aloy managed to yell over the enraged howl and grabbed Teb’s wrist, abandoning the damaged Strider and pulled Teb hastily behind the next best rock to hide.

The last thing they heard of the Strider was a miserable groan followed by the screeching noise of steel crushed under a massive weight. Aloy peeked around the rock they had taken cover behind, watching as the Thunderjaw stomped the Strider into the dust like an insect under its talons. An explosion of electric sparks, clouds of frost and flames erupted from the carcass, causing the Thunderjaw to growl with agitation.

Panic threatened to rise in Aloy when she realized that the Thunderjaw had just destroyed her stash of bombs, the only ammunition that was able to bring it down.

“Teb, it just crushed our bombs! We forgot the bomb pouch!” she hissed to Teb, ducking back behind the rock. She quickly looked over the gear she had managed to salvage from their mount before leaving it behind, all weapons, arrows and their luggage even, but not the bombs.

Teb’s eyes widened in fear, huddling in close to Aloy. “What... what now? We can still get out of this, right…?”

A few steps away from them, a blinding bolt erupting from the Thunderjaw’s cannons ripped a deep crater into the ground, tearing a rock larger than their makeshift hideout into pieces as if it was made of clay, followed by an enraged roar and approaching footsteps.

“Teb, it’s not looking good. The Thunderjaw is fully armed and angry and it knows where we are. I don’t have time to tear its armor off to shoot it or to set up tripwires and the only ammo that could have hurt it just got trampled,” Aloy urgently whispered back.

Seeing the horror in Teb’s face hurt, but what hurt even more, drowning out every fear Aloy could have had for her own life, was seeing that flicker of hope still burning in Teb’s gentle, green eyes. He believed that Aloy could still save them, somehow, trusting her with his life until the very end.

Aloy frowned, determination bright like a bonfire inside her. She would not betray his trust, no matter what it took. Her mind raced as she tried to focus on the danger, desperately trying to come up with a plan to kill the giant with what little tools they had. She peeked around the rock, feeling it shake and shudder with each heavy step the Thunderjaw took towards their hideout, saw its glowing red headlights and burning craters around them where the blasts tore into the sand, the air heavy with the noise of explosions and screeching metal joints.

And then Aloy saw it: A small red plate on the Thunderjaw’s head, a crack running across it from the boulder that had landed on its neck earlier.

She spun around to Teb, her thoughts racing, but before she could speak Teb suddenly approached her and took her hands with his own, holding them close against his chest. Something in Teb’s expression caused Aloy to choke on her words, his eyes burning with something so deep and emotional that found herself unable to speak.

“Aloy, I… I wanted to tell you something, I have to… I’ve felt like this for as long as I can think, and now, that it’s about to end… Aloy, I l…”

Teb fell silent when Aloy suddenly placed a finger on his lips, causing him to halt in his speech. An idea had struck her, finally, and she hurried to let him know that it wasn’t over, not if she could prevent it. She needed Teb’s help for it, though.

“Teb, wait. We can get out of this, I have a plan. It’s risky, but it’s out only chance. I need you to help me, okay? Do you trust me?”

Teb blinked, but picked up his courage quickly. “Of course, Aloy. With my life.”

Aloy nodded. “Alright. Take the bow and shoot the Thunderjaw. Distract it and make it approach you. Don’t ask me why, just do it. It’s vital that it doesn’t see me when I’m climbing on its back. Don’t flee when it’s coming down on you. You need to promise me. Trust me and stay where you are, okay?”

Teb’s eyes were wide with horror. “Climb on its back…? Aloy, you’ll get yourself killed!”

“Not if you do what I just asked. Please, Teb. It’s our only chance. It has to work.”

After just one more heartbeat of hesitation, Teb nodded. “… Alright.”

Teb picked up the bow and quiver and nocked a fire arrow. He exchanged one last glance with Aloy, his eyes brimming with emotion, then took a visible breath and left their little shelter. He ran a few steps, then shot the Thunderjaw. Aloy heard by the enraged growl that the machine had spotted him and charged to trample him. The machine was close enough to him to not use ranged weapons and instead came rushing in to end the archer with its maw, and that was exactly what Aloy had planned. She immediately took the opportunity to leave their hideout as well, running around to the rear of the Thunderjaw unnoticed as Teb kept its attention on himself by shooting it with fire arrows. Aloy sprinted as fast as she could over the torn ground until she could see the tail end, praying that she would be fast enough.

As soon as she reached the tail she leapt, clutching to the edge. Aloy heaved herself up on the tail, waving her arms to keep standing as it swung left and right, kept running towards the machine’s head until her lungs burned.

_Come on, faster… Not fast enough… Any slower and Teb dies, run!_

Everything blurred, the earsplitting roar and the rapid clanking of Aloy’s footsteps and the thundering arsenal of weapons as she dashed over the metal spine of the Thunderjaw towards its head, faster, everything inside her yelling at her body to run faster. She knew the Thunderjaw had almost reached Teb, knew if she didn’t make it he would get torn into shreds by its steel jaws, and Aloy wouldn’t allow him to sacrifice his life for her. They would get out of this together, or not at all.

She reached the neck, almost lost her footing on the sharp edge of the gash in the metal, almost slipped on the oil oozing out like blood from a wound, saw Teb, terribly small from this far up, his determined, horrified expression as he aimed for the Thunderjaw with an arrow, unflinching as he faced the towering mass of steel as it bore down on him with metal teeth and claws like he had promised her. Aloy kept going, ran for both their lives.

Her hit had to be perfect. She only had this one chance.

The Thunderjaw reached Teb in the same moment Aloy heaved herself on its head, yanked the spear from her back and swung it with all her strength. The machine’s enraged roar echoed in the mesa and drowned out Aloy’s desperate battlecry as she stabbed her spear in the middle of the Thunderjaw's nexus and drove it in all the way through.

Aloy’s spear broke through the crack in the nexus, red sparks seeping out as the blade tore through the fragile structures beneath, shards and splinters ripping vital cables apart. Aloy clutched to the spear, held it in position and felt a violent shudder going through the still running Thunderjaw before its movements went erratic, suddenly ceasing to work as its brain shut down, lights flickering out.

The dying Thunderjaw crashed head-first into the ground, limp and lifeless, drifting to a halt driven by is momentum until it came to stop right in front of Teb.

Aloy suddenly found herself facing Teb’s still poised arrow he had bravely pointed into the face of death itself. Aloy’s ears rang in the sudden silence, the only sounds her gasps for breath, mirrored by Teb’s shuddering breathing.

They stared at each other for a long moment, as if they couldn’t believe that they were still alive.

“Aloy…?”

The spell was broken when Teb suddenly smiled. He tossed the bow and arrow aside and spread his arms. Aloy started laughing, finally letting go of the spear and climbing down the head of the dead Thunderjaw into Teb’s waiting arms. He mirrored her laugh when she flew into his embrace, both of them giddy with adrenaline and relief, talking over each other without thinking or caring as they hugged tightly.

“We’re alive! Aloy, you did it! You saved us!” Teb all but yelled at her, his voice brimming with laughter. Aloy felt her head spin as the tension suddenly wore off, replaced by an almost dizzying sensation of incredulous joy.

“No, we both did it! Teb, you saved us too, look! You were amazing!”

“I can’t believe you really brought it down! We’re alive, Aloy!”

She laughed, nodded, her world filled with Teb’s smile and his warmth as he held her close and his laugh, his glittering, green eyes, brimming with life and adoration and so very beautiful that she lost all sense of herself.

In retrospective, Aloy had no idea who of them had closed the distance first, who had made the move. It might have been both of them, simultaneously, in silent agreement. All she knew was that suddenly Teb’s lips were pressed against hers, warm and soft and gentle. She vaguely registered Teb’s trembling hands cupping her face, drawing her in and she responded by digging her hands into the cloth of his tunic, aching to get _closer_ , his mouth giving and sweet against hers. Aloy all but melted into the kiss, lost herself in the onslaught of new sensations she experienced, jolts of pleasure surging through her body.

After an unknown amount of time, they slowly, hesitantly broke the kiss, like waking up from a deep stupor. Aloy stared into Teb’s impossibly wide eyes, seeing the sudden realization of what they had just done dawning in his face, mirrored in hers. A phantom of the sensation lingered on her lips, every part of her humming with the sweet, aching tension the kiss had created in her body, overly sensitized to every single inch of their bodies that pressed together. Trying to get back to her senses, Aloy retreated just enough so she could see him.

Teb blinked a few times. “Aloy… Are… Are you okay?”

In his gaze, Aloy could see just _how_ he meant that; not only the fact that they had just barely escaped a certain death by getting crushed, but also that he had just kissed her, most probably knowing just how _new_ this had been for Aloy.

Aloy felt her lips stretching into a wide smile.

“I’m okay, Teb.”

Teb’s face was utter relief and incredulous joy. “Really?”

Aloy nodded. Teb huffed and pulled her in again, hugging her tightly, his head resting against hers.

“We’re alive,” Aloy heard him whisper somewhere next to her face, feeling his breath on her skin as he spoke.

“Yep, we are,” Aloy replied, then heard herself snickering with giddy happiness. Teb chimed in, and for a long moment all they did was holding each other close. Aloy looked to the side until the dead machine came into view, realizing that her first kiss ever had happened next to the steaming carcass of a Thunderjaw after it had almost trampled Teb and Aloy into the dust, while they were still standing in a puddle of green and black oils that gradually spread around their feet with the occasional sounds of sparks and last dysfunctional twitches erupting from the destroyed pile of debris.

It probably was the least romantic scenario a young girl could imagine for her first kiss, and Aloy felt deep within her heart that it was utterly, entirely perfect just the way it was.

Something exploded inside the carcass, causing a cloud of black smoke to erupt from the Thunderjaw. Aloy and Teb flinched at the sudden noise and finally broke their embrace. They exchanged a half shy, half knowing smirk that gave Aloy a strangely familiar, comfortable feeling, as if they both thought of a joke only the two of them understood.

“We… should get going, Teb,” Aloy said, feeling her cheeks reddening. “Before more trouble shows up.”

Teb just nodded, his eyes still dark and warm. “Okay.”

They hurried to get to work, gathering their luggage and gear that was still strewn about in the sand around the dead machine. They distributed the satchels and weapons among each other before setting out back to the path again. Aloy whistled for a mount, satisfied when a Charger answered her call. The sun started to sink already when they had attached everything left from the attack on the Charger and set out to the west. They descended the mesa, trotting down the path into the lush greenery that formed the jungles of Meridian’s heartland, stone-carved temples and a few Carja guards flanking the road. A myriad of jungle birds chattered in the dense canopy, interrupted by the occasional growls of Stalkers and Snapmaws from deep below the ridge they were following. The sky seemed richer in color than in the Embrace, the plants greener, the air heavy and sweet with the scent of late blossoms.

Aloy rode, Teb holding onto her waist behind her. While she focused on breathing deeply to get rid of the adrenaline built up after all that had happened, she still couldn’t stop feeling a strange tension in her stomach and chest, a sweet, fluttering sensation that reminded her of the first time she had hugged Teb. Aloy suspected their kiss was to blame for this, and for some reason it felt like a puzzle piece sliding into place, as if she was a step closer to figuring out what it all meant when they were close. She didn’t try to fight the feeling, not any more. She welcomed it, rode out the sensation as her hand went up to her lips and touched them seemingly out of its own will.

Something had been different, Aloy mused. There had been situations in which she’d felt that tension between them, urging her on to catch Teb’s mouth with hers, waiting silently for Teb to lean in and too unsettled with everything to initiate it herself. When they had barely survived the attack everything had happened in a blur, without thinking, Aloy’s body reacting to Teb’s seemingly on its own accord. Something new had happened and she wasn’t sure how to name it or how to repeat it.

Aloy turned slightly on her seat until she could see Teb behind her, who stared out into the jungle with a dreamy expression on his face. When he realized that Aloy was looking at him, he returned her gaze and smiled.

Aloy blinked, suddenly unsure what to do. She had no idea how this worked, how to behave now that something she felt was special had happened between. A part of her craved to kiss Teb again, but she’d be damned if she knew how to ask for it.

 “Yes?” Teb asked gently when Aloy didn’t speak.

“I… Are you doing alright?” she asked back, suddenly glad that the rising darkness hid her blush.

“I’m good, Aloy. Thank you,” Teb replied, smiling lopsidedly. “I admit I’m still a little shaken by that fight. The Thunderjaw was so much bigger than I had imagined.”

Aloy smirked, feeling herself relax. That was familiar territory, at least.

“They are. And built to fight. I’ve seen docile ones now that GAIA has been rebooted and the corruption is cleared. It only turned hostile because of the bandits attacking it,” Aloy scoffed.

Teb nodded, something sad in his expression. “Yes, poor devils. Still, they must have known the idea was stupid. It was so reckless to attack the machine with a rock, they must have known it wouldn’t turn out like they hoped. Why did they want to kill it? Bandits don’t salvage metal for shards to sell, right? I mean, who would they sell to?”

“They used to kill large machines to set up the reinforcements in their camps, using the carcasses as barricades and ramparts,” Aloy told him. She frowned. “I just hope their attempt to kill a Thunderjaw doesn’t mean there are more of them, planning to take root again.”

“Nil said the bandits were gone,” Teb reminded her. “But I guess that was a little overoptimistic, wasn’t it?”

Aloy huffed. “You have no idea how right you are, Teb.”

Aloy knew groups of raiders and killers would always emerge in some desolate place no matter how much she wanted to prevent it – it was naïve to think otherwise. Still, the thought was doing her deep wish for Nora settlers to live in the Sundom no good, and neither her hope for safe passage for traders and travelers.

Behind her, Aloy could feel Teb nestling closer, his palms gently pressing against her stomach.

“Aloy, I… I’m so glad you didn’t get hurt,” he said quietly.

“And I’m glad you didn’t end up as a snack, Teb,” Aloy said with a lopsided smirk, but she didn’t just mean it jokingly. Her smirk widened when Teb laughed softly.

“I should be fine as long as you are around to take care of me,” he answered softly. Aloy’s smirk turned into a touched smile. The Charger had sensed that its rider’s concentration was elsewhere and stopped, but Aloy didn’t mind.

“I… I gladly am around you, Teb. Not just to take care of you,” she said carefully. And there it was again, that shine in his eyes and a nameless force pushing them together, her eyes feeling heavy and her head swimming, warm cheeks and hands and everything she heard was her own heartbeat and Teb’s breathing as she got close enough, lost in his eyes,.

 _Something_ stopped her and made her tense up, like those other times before, and Teb didn’t kiss her. Aloy felt the moment pass, her racing thoughts making her blink in frustration. What was different now? What had been different back then, when they had finally kissed after barely surviving the Thunderjaw attack? Aloy’s mind reeled as she thought, scrambled for an answer.

As if sensing her inner struggle, Teb simply leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. Aloy closed her eyes and inhaled sharply at the softness of the gesture that sent a powerful tingle down her spine despite its chaste simplicity. Teb retreated, a gentle, shy smile on his lips.

“How about we try and get back home before the weather changes?” he asked carefully, nodding towards the dark wall of clouds rolling in from the north, threatening rain later.

“Yeah, good idea.”

They rode on, now in a full gallop, the dark path ahead of them illuminated by the Charger’s blue headlight. Soon, Aloy felt Teb falling asleep, slumped against her back. When he awoke again after a few hours they swapped places, Aloy trying to catch a rest as Teb rode another section of the way. Sleep wouldn’t come, though, no matter how much she tried and how comforting Teb’s scent was when she rested her head against his back. It was part of her restless nature to unravel secrets meticulously, picking at every nook and cranny as if she was following an old track, looking for forgotten details. Now, her swirling thoughts annoyed Aloy, and all she wanted to do was close her eyes and reminisce about that kiss, and how it had felt, and how it had come to happen. Why wouldn’t Teb simply kiss her now, that it had happened once? Did she do something wrong? Was she doing something wrong now? What did Teb think about all this? Had he not liked it?

Cursing her own inexperience, Aloy wrapped her arms closer around Teb, and finally got rocked to sleep by the rhythmic pound of hooves on damp earth.

A sudden jolt rocked Aloy awake again, and she noticed that they had almost arrived in Meridian. The sky was tinted in a faint gradient ranging from ink blue to soft, peachy yellow as the sun slowly crept above the skyline, casting long shadows of the city’s towering buildings across the surrounding lands. The air was still cold and smelled of rain, but the first rays of sunshine were already warming it with the scent of flowers. The Charger was approaching the large market place before the main gate.

“Good morning, Aloy,” Teb’s gentle voice greeted her. Aloy yawned against his back, rolling her tense shoulders.

“Good morning. Let’s leave the Charger outside,” Aloy replied, hopping off the machine. She helped Teb dismount and they collected their gear and satchels from it before sending it off into the wilds again. They made their way back into the city over the intricately carved bridge, passing saluting guards and artisans.

The sensual onslaught of a thousand different spices that Aloy had experienced when entering Meridian the first time, another life ago, had changed dramatically. Now, she recognized cumin and pepper and chili, spices that Teb used in his cooking and that were well familiar to her now. The faint music and the sound of domestic flocks of geese, everything from the yellow rocks of the buildings to the still cold braziers –

It felt like home.

Aloy shot Teb a glance to see what he felt when coming back. His face was easy and open, he even waved a greeting to a Carja artisan she knew he used to exchange resources with. When Teb noticed Aloy looking at him, he smiled, but there was something insecure and shy left in his eyes that confirmed her suspicion that he wasn’t the only one who kept turning thoughts over in his head. There was something knowing in his gaze, and a slight blush tinting his cheeks pink.

“The Anointed!”

Alerted, Aloy spun around, spotting a whole flock of people wearing those alarmingly enthusiastic expressions Aloy particularly disliked. She grabbed Teb’s wrist and pulled him with her, trying to escape. Teb let out a quiet shout of surprise but complied and followed her as they weaved their way through the quickly growing crowd in the market.

“Where are we going, Aloy?” Teb asked from behind her as Aloy darted into an empty alleyway.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, finally realizing that this was a part of Meridian she’d rarely paid any mind to. The alley didn’t look familiar. Mildly frustrated when Aloy heard more exclaimed titles behind them, Aloy let go of Teb’s wrist.

Teb chuckled softly. He stepped in and took her hand, curling his fingers around hers.

“I know the way. If you like, I’ll bring us back to my apartment while shaking off your admirers.”

Aloy rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smirking at Teb. “After you, Teb.”

The ran again, as fast as their heavy gear allowed, Teb leading the way through narrow streets that were always covered in shadow by the towering buildings framing them, through small side squares and behind the Hunter’s Lodge. Not long after, Aloy had lost her sense of where they were, but she trusted Teb with this. They fell into a more comfortable pace, walking side by side.

All the while, Aloy didn’t let go of Teb’s hand, and neither did he.

Eventually, they arrived in a quarter Aloy knew, familiar paths and streets, the large terraces that opened up to the view below, the jungle and the lake with blue mist rising above. The building with Teb’s apartment came into view and they climbed up the short flight of stairs until they reached his door.

Here, they paused, for a reason Aloy couldn’t quite name, but she felt Teb’s hesitation, as if he was about to say something and didn’t quite know how to start. They remained standing on the top of the staircase in front of the familiar, battered little door that belonged to his new home, their shared home, looking at each other.

“Aloy, about… About yesterday, when we…” Teb finally said, his blush deepening and that dark warmth back in his eyes. He visibly took a deep breath. “… When I kissed you.”

Aloy huffed out a soft laugh, feeling herself blush. So they would _talk_ about this, then? This was unknown territory for her, but somehow she was relieved. She felt that it might be for the better, willing to give it a try.

“I guess that was my fault as much as yours, Teb,” she replied quietly.

Teb’s blush spread further. “Was it… was it okay with you?”

Aloy felt herself nod, her heart beating so fast she was sure he must have heard it. “It was.”

“I know you said it was alright, but it happened in the heat of the moment, and I wanted to make sure… I didn’t overstep any bounds, did I?”

Aloy blinked, touched by Teb’s genuinely concerned expression. So he had been thinking about their kiss too, probably just as much as Aloy, but out of different reasons. How could he even think that Aloy hadn’t liked it, or that he had crossed some forbidden boundary?

And then, just like that, the answer to her inner struggles struck Aloy like a lightning.

He was right. Something between them had changed. Teb _had_ overstepped one of Aloy’s bounds, had offered her something she would have never dared to initiate herself, and by offering it Aloy had finally taken the heart to make the next step, to close the distance. When Aloy had kissed Teb she hadn’t _thought_ , just _felt_ , lost in the sensation, her mind drowned out by the taste of his lips and the feel of his mouth against hers. Aloy knew Teb could read her like a book, knew her so well, and he must have sensed her leftover hesitation and swirling thoughts every time they got close, refusing to kiss her again because of his fear to unsettle her until they had finally made it because Aloy’s mind had been quiet, lost in the feeling.

Aloy finally understood what she wanted, and what she had to do.

She wanted Teb to overstep that bound again, and again, and again.

Teb made to speak, but Aloy placed a finger on his lips. She gently cupped his face with her hands and pulled him towards her. He made a muffled sound of surprise when Aloy kissed him, but his body all but melted against her a moment later, his hands coming up to cradle the back of her head. Aloy let out a soft moan when Teb’s fingers dug into her hair and he caught it with his mouth, sweet and gentle against hers, exhaling sharply when Aloy’s hands moved down his shoulders, her racing heartbeat matching his as they kissed.


	13. Chapter 13

XIII.

They kept kissing in front of Teb’s apartment for Aloy didn’t know how long, and neither did she care. Teb’s lips were sweet and giving against hers, tasted of something so strange and yet so familiar that it made her insides sing with desire for more. She felt Teb incline his head, pull back just a fraction only to lean in again a heartbeat later, pressing his lips gently on hers, moaning gratefully when she responded in the same way.

It was wonderful, and perfect, and so unlike anything Aloy had ever felt that a part of her wanted to keep doing this forever, and never stop, sharing warmth and heartbeat with Teb.

They stopped eventually, more out of necessity for air than anything else.

When Aloy pulled back to breathe, still enveloped in Teb’s arms, she saw that his pupils were blown, and his lips stretched into a wide, utterly joyful smile. One of his hands caressed down the side of her face, causing her to lean into the touch.

“Aloy… I admit I like this a lot,” Teb said quietly.

Aloy grinned lopsidedly, tempted to make a sarcastic joke but flying way too high on a feeling of exhilaration.

“I take it that I’ve not made some major mistake while kissing you, then?” she replied.

Teb laughed, his blush deepening. “No, you haven’t. It might have been your first kisses, but… It’s been the best ones I ever had. Really.”

Aloy raised an eyebrow, trying to hide just how touched she was. “Have you had that many so you could judge that?”

“A few,” Teb replied. Aloy nodded, just a touch confused at the feeling of… protectiveness, or eagerness, something protesting in her when she imagined Teb with another girl. She knew it was naïve to think he’d never had any experiences of that nature before her, but still… It was something she’d want to talk about with him, just to know that part of his life as well, but not now.

“So…” Teb began again, his expression somewhere between shy and flirty, and he had never looked more adorable to Aloy. “Is this… something we can decide is a good thing, then?”

“We can, Teb,” Aloy said, leaning in once more, just experimentally to see if she really could have this whenever she asked for it. She could, she realized, feeling a heat wave surging through her stomach as Teb tenderly caught her mouth with his. They kissed again, just a moment this time, but Aloy still felt him shiver with pleasure. They broke apart when the sounds of voices and footsteps echoed through the street, simultaneously turning their heads in the direction of the intruders.

“I… I should open the door before we get company,” Teb said, a soft chuckle in his voice. Aloy grinned lopsidedly and nodded. Teb fished for the small key in the pouch around his neck and unlocked the door, stepping in behind Aloy.

The scent of leather and beeswax that enveloped them as soon as they entered the apartment was so overwhelmingly pleasant that Aloy stopped in the middle of the room, reeling from a wave of memories and a feeling of home. She closed her eyes for a moment and just breathed in the scent she hadn’t even realized she’d missed so much it almost hurt.

She opened her eyes again when she heard Teb flopping heavily on his bed, arms sprawled out as he lay down on his back with a thankful grin on his face.

“Finally! You can’t believe how happy I am to have my bed back,” he exclaimed, groaning contently and arching his back on the soft covers. Aloy walked over to him, coming to stand between his feet on the edge of the bed.

“You mean our bed,” she joked. Teb lifted his head a little, blinking up at her. A touched, adoring expression flickered across his face, then he let his head fall back again, still smiling widely.

“Of course. Our bed.”

They spent the rest of the day getting their gear in order, stashing weapons, ammunition, clothes and tools away and cleaning up the dust that had collected on shelves and boxes during their absence. In the late afternoon, Teb prepared a meal out of everything he had left behind in his stock, foods that kept fresh for a long time like dried maze, mushrooms and roots. He came up with a simple, but very savory and spicy stew. Aloy and Teb sat down on pillows in front of the balcony, looking out at the lake and the misty silhouettes of Blazon Arch and Kestrel’s Perch on the other side of the shore, sharing their food in the soft light of the sinking sun. It was peaceful and slow and comforting, and for some reason Aloy felt like they hadn’t been away at all, as if they hadn’t just gone through a lot of emotional strain or almost gotten killed by a Thunderjaw.

They had been away, though, and their journey had changed both of them, Aloy felt. That certain curiosity she’d been kindling within herself had grown, gotten more intense. She’d learned more about it and her strange new sensations when being around Teb. Aloy knew that Teb felt the same about that change between them when she shot him a sidelong glance, catching him looking away quickly. He smiled, though, peeking up at her with a spoonful of stew halfway to his mouth and a blush on his cheeks.

When they went to bed, they did so like every evening, huddling closely together to share body heat and comfort. Teb looped his arms around Aloy and pulled her close, purring with pleasure when she returned his touch by allowing his head to rest on her outstretched arm, her other hand caressing through his soft, shaved hair.

“Aloy…?” Teb began suddenly, and by his tone Aloy knew that he was about to ask something he felt slightly unsure about. She encouraged him with a smile, already having a vague idea of what he was about to ask.

“… How about a good night kiss?” Teb asked eventually, his voice barely a whisper. Aloy didn’t need to see his face in the dim light to know that he was blushing, she felt it in the tension of his legs rubbing against hers and the grip of his hand caressing through her hair as she leaned in and pressed her lips against his, savoring his soft moan as he returned the kiss.

-

The following days were incredibly busy, for Aloy less than for Teb. She mainly occupied herself with stocking up on healing herbs in the field margins of the Royal Maizelands and crafting ammunition after her bombs got destroyed by the Thunderjaw. It gave her the opportunity to wind down a little, and often she spent her time talking to Teb while he stitched and sewed on garments. Sometimes she ran errands for him, knowing that she would soon have to set out to hunt rare parts again, but for now she took things a bit more slow.

Teb on the other hand opened up his market stand again as soon as they had returned and immediately got crowded by a wave of new commissions. Apparently his absence had only fuelled the popularity of Nora style garments among the Carja citizens and a lot of outlanders and traveling merchants, which both made him happy and kept him busy in his workshop and on the market.

“Would you do me the favor and deliver some items to the Hunters Lodge today, Aloy?” Teb asked Aloy while they had breakfast, a few days after their return from the Scared Lands.

“Sure. Don’t you have time? Or has Malesh been giving you the needle again?” Aloy asked, handing Teb her empty plate after a generous portion of absolutely delicious flatbread. “If he has I’ll go and kick his ass all the way to the Spire. You can watch, if you like.”

Teb laughed, as usual no sign of resentment or insult in his face. On a few occasions, when Aloy had accompanied him to the Lodge to chat to other hunters while he was delivering finished commissions, Malesh hadn’t been subtle of his disdain of Nora immigrants, especially when it involved men that didn’t fight. Teb hadn’t cared, of course, but Aloy secretly waited for an occasion to give Malesh a taste of his own medicine.

“No, that’s not the reason. Even though I appreciate your offer, Aloy. I have customers here to take their measurements, a noble Carja lady and her little daughter. She ordered matching dresses,” he answered. “It’ll be a challenge and I need the time to prepare my materials. There’s a box of Nora arrows and a bunch of armor pieces by the door to be delivered to the Lodge. I’ve put in a list, the items are all paid already.”

“I’ll deliver them for you, Teb. No problem,” Aloy said, standing up. She walked over to Teb to the kitchen corner where he cleaned the dishes and wrapped the remaining flatbread in a clean cloth to keep it fresh. He handed it to Aloy.

“Here, for you. I suspect you’ll stay a while once you’re at the Lodge,” he said, shooting her a wink. Aloy smirked and took the package from him. He was right, whenever he had customers over to take measurements and discuss color choices Aloy usually stayed away to leave him some privacy, and besides that she had the tendency to stay much longer in the Lodge than intended, talking to Talanah or other hunters, exchanging experiences and machine sightings. She highly suspected that today wouldn’t be much different.

“Alright. Thanks for the food, Teb. See you this evening,” Aloy replied finally, turning to pick up her armor. Before she could do so, the slightest touch on her wrist stopped her. Teb’s green eyes held her gaze, deep like lakewater and full of fondness. He didn’t speak and he didn’t need to when he stepped in and placed a palm on her cheek, running his fingers down her jaw until they reach her chin. Aloy smirked, her stomach coiling with heat in anticipation, knowing what he was about to do. She readily allowed Teb to tilt her chin up, closing her eyes with pleasure when he leaned down to kiss her.

Aloy savored their kiss for a long, thorough moment, soft, warm lips pressing against hers, before she finally broke it and went to get her gear. Teb’s longing, gentle smile she retorted with a lopsided wink that made him laugh softly, but despite her attempt to leave as casually as she could with the delivery box in her arms, she couldn’t quite keep the bounce from her steps.

Aloy closed the door behind her and carefully balanced the wooden box of Teb’s items down the flight of stairs until she reached the street. It had rained over night, and the air was heavy with the scent of moist earth and dripping wet greenery. Aloy shouldered the box so she had an arm free, rounding a puddle to avoid slipping. Their kiss still tingled on her lips, and she smiled to herself when she remembered the thrilling delight it had caused. Her free hand came up and touched her lips for a moment, chasing the phantom of the sensation that still lingered there.

Very much like the casual touches, later the head massages, then the hugs and sleeping tangled in each other’s arms, kissing Teb felt familiar now. Aloy had grown used to waking him up with a kiss when the sun rose, sometimes got a peck on the cheek from him after coming back from an errand and wished him good night with a long, thorough kiss before they fell asleep. It was utterly pleasant and filled Aloy with a feeling of connection, as if there was an invisible thread between them, tying her and Teb together even when they were apart. Still, there was something frustrating about kissing him, but not in an entirely negative way. It always kindled that glow inside Aloy, the growing heat pooling low in her stomach, a white-hot tingle running down her spine that made her breathing as well as her eyes heavy, like a hunger that needed to be satisfied in a way she didn’t know, asking her for more. Aloy wasn’t sure how to deal with that part of kissing Teb, but the act itself was so pleasant that she asked for it increasingly often. Teb had early on signaled her that whenever Aloy tried to initiate a kiss he would return it readily – apart from some exceptions when he was concentrating on counting stitches, or already half asleep, merely managing a drowsy smile when Aloy pressed her lips to his before settling down next to him. The same applied to Teb, who often approached Aloy to kiss her, and always shuddered with pleasure ever so slightly when he did.

Aloy took a deep breath to get that roiling heat in her core back under control, focusing on not slipping in the puddles. The sky promised to be clear of rain, but Meridian was still soaked and small streams of water were running down the streets, pouring over the edge of the mesa the city was perched on. She carried her box across the market, politely evading any kind of praise. She greeted the Banuk artifact collector in passing who returned her smile, and despite the throng Aloy was moving in she felt significantly less fenced in than usually. Somehow coming back to the seething, noisy mass of people that was Meridian compared to the Nora settlements was pleasant in some way, and Aloy vaguely suspected it had something to do with that warm fluttering in her stomach. Everything seemed less annoying than usually, even that Oseram treasure hunter who still tried to make her dirty compliments, or the Carja nobles courting their ladies with songs and flowers.

Aloy soon reached the Hunter’s Lodge and delivered the items Teb had finished. It was mostly heavy Nora armor influenced by Carja art, something that had become Teb’s trademark style. Their recipients were pleased with their quality, giving Aloy a feeling of deep pride in Teb’s skills, at least until Malesh showed up and spoiled her mood.

“Oh, so the Stitcher sent you to deliver his trinkets?” he drawled, a condescending smirk on his face. “I was already out killing Behemoths while you and your hawk Talanah were still tying your boots.”

Aloy frowned inwardly, trying very hard to keep up a sweet smile that dripped with sarcasm.

“Hello, Malesh. Did some hunting today?”

“Uhu, indeed.”

“With those arrows you’re carrying?”

“And nothing else. Good, solid Carja craft from Aidaba. I’d never fight with inferior outlander gear like your Nora toothpicks,” Malesh replied, poking his chin in the air.

Aloy raised an eyebrow. “Apparently you didn’t know that Teb makes the arrows that Aidaba sells. Good day, Malesh. Seems like those Nora toothpicks served you well enough.”

She didn’t turn around to enjoy the view of Malesh’s jaw dropping and instead just shouldered her crate and left him there, making her way up the staircase to Talanah, a wide smirk on her face. The Sunhawk herself stood on the balcony, talking to some young fledglings. Aloy joined the little group. Talanah always was nice company and Aloy ended up spending a long while engaging in friendly conversation. Later they moved to the bar for tea and cold meat, Aloy eating the leftover flatbread Teb had wrapped up for her.

The sun started to creep towards the horizon when Aloy excused herself, making her way back over the market to Teb’s workshop. She stopped at a market stand offering a colorful variety of pigments, dried minerals and ground-up earth in different shades. After looking them over for a while, Aloy couldn’t resist buying a small package of small, waxy sticks of pigment that could be used to draw without using water or oil to dissolve the pigment first. The trader claimed the drawing sticks be new on the market, infused with minerals only the Banuk had access to that had made it over the border now that the animosities with the Carja and the issues in the Cut had been ended, also by Aloy’s aid.

 _Teb will be thrilled about this, he can use them for his sketches_ , Aloy mused with a content smile on her face as she accepted the small box filled with pigment sticks in rich shades of blues, greens, reds and yellows, reminding her of the vibrant Banuk decorations and clothing. She carefully elbowed her way out of the throng into a quiet corner next to the market stands where a small alley opened to the square to have some space to stash away the drawing sticks properly.

Sudden movement caught her eye, followed by a high-pitched giggle. Aloy raised an eyebrow and tilted her head just enough to peek into the alley. She spotted a couple, a young Carja man and a woman, tangled in each other’s arms, kissing ardently. Apparently they had picked the shadowy corner in the alley to have some privacy together, and even though Aloy certainly felt like she shouldn’t be staring at them she found that she couldn’t turn her eyes away.

Something about the way the couple was kissing looked different from what Aloy had recently experienced. When she was kissing Teb, it was a simple, gentle press of her lips against his, sweet and slow. The couple in the street kissed with their mouths open, something fierce and biting in their movements, fingers digging into the other’s hair as if they were in a desperate need to pull the other closer. The man bent down and dragged his tongue up the woman’s neck, who let out a sound somewhere between a moan and a giggle that her partner shushed by catching her mouth with his again. She bit his bottom lip, Aloy noticed with some confusion, heat rising in her cheeks when their tongues curled around each other, licking into the other’s mouth. Aloy partly expected herself to feel repulsed by this, but, surprisingly, she didn’t. It looked intriguing in an almost forbidden kind of way, as if the couple was giving up all of their boundaries, granting the other access to everything they could give. Their play got more urgent when they man lifted the girl up and she readily wrapped her legs around his waist. They kept kissing even when he pressed her roughly against the wall, but she seemed to enjoy herself thoroughly, hips grinding against each other and more of those open-mouthed kisses.

When the man started to fumble with his belt Aloy finally snapped out of her stupor, feeling both ashamed and unsettled by that strange, glowing tension inside her. She quickly averted her eyes, acting like she hadn’t seen anything, and hurried to leave the alley behind, making her way back home almost running in an attempt to get her breathing back in control.

When she reached Teb’s apartment she was out of breath and stood outside the door for a while, breathing in the chilly evening air. Only then Aloy knocked on the door and entered.

Teb’s customers where still there, but judging by the piles of neatly cut and folded cloths in matching colors and boxes with carefully arranged feathers, beads and ornaments he was almost done discussing their commissions with them. A noble Carja lady was standing in the other corner of the workshop, her left arm outstretched so Teb could take her measurements. When he noticed Aloy entering, he briefly looked up and shot her a gentle smile.

“Hi, Aloy. And now the other arm, please…” he said, turning his attention back to his customer. Aloy left him to his business, knowing that he’d be there for her as soon as he was done and not wanting to interrupt his concentration. Aloy set her crate down and crossed the workshop to the kitchen corner when she suddenly noticed the little girl standing in front of one of the workbenches. Aloy remembered Teb mentioning his customer having a little daughter. The girl had picked up one of the feathers from Teb’s stash and turned it in her hands, apparently admiring the colors.

When she noticed Aloy standing next to her, she looked up.

“Oh, hey. Did you catch this bird?” the girl asked, pointing the feather at Aloy’s face. Aloy blinked, a bit taken aback since she had little to no experience with children and now idea how to deal with the girl.

“As it happens, I did.”

“What kind of bird was it?”

“A turkey.”

“Oh.” The girl seemed to be satisfied with that answer and placed the feather back on the workbench. “You must be Aloy, the huntress? Who hunts all the machine parts for Teb?”

“Yep.”

“You really are very, very pretty. Maybe not the most beautiful woman in the world as Teb said, though, but very pretty. I like your red hair,” the little girl said idly, picking up a painted clay bead to play with instead.

Aloy was frozen to the spot as she let the girl’s words sink in. Blinking, she merely turned her head enough to look over at Teb, who was busy at his workbench. He was turned with his back to her so she couldn’t see his face, but by the way his ears turned red she knew that he had heard what the little girl had just revealed.

She didn’t get to contemplate this any further when Teb went back to talk to his customer, and Aloy politely retreated to the kitchen corner. A copper pot with a heavy lid was placed over the fire. When Aloy opened it, she saw that it contained a goose, large bits of meat gently boiling in their own juices together with honey, onions and bundles of herbs. Aloy felt her stomach grumbling at the wonderful smell. She closed the lid again and went to a narrow table that was covered in different kinds of vegetables, some of them already partly cut in slices. Aloy picked up a knife and got to work to do something helpful while Teb was still working.

A short while later, Aloy could tell by the sound of footsteps on the worn floor that the Carja lady was walking to the door. Peeking over her shoulder she realized that the little girl was still poking around in Teb’s materials by his workbench, but she stopped when Teb came over and kneeled down in front of her so they were on eye level.

“It’s time to go now, Khadi,” he said smiling.

The girl made a face. “Aw, I was just looking through your painted beads. They are so pretty.”

She held a clay bead in her small hands, painted with a turquoise and red Nora pattern. “Can’t I stay a little longer?”

“No, I’m sorry, Khadi. Your mother wants to leave now. But you know what? You can keep that bead, if you like. And next time you’re here to try on your new dress I show you how to paint them, okay?”

The little girl was smiling widely now, her eyes sparkling as she clutched the bead against her chest. “Okay. Thank you, Teb. Can you lift me up one more time?”

“Of course.”

Aloy blinked when Teb stood and bent down to pick the laughing girl up as if it was no big deal at all and carried her to the door. The girl let out a little squeal of excitement, readily wrapping her arms around Teb’s neck and shoulder. By the door, he set her down next to her mother. They exchanged a greeting Aloy couldn’t hear, Teb waving to the girl as she skittered outside, the clay bead still held firmly in her hand.

Aloy finally remembered the knife she was holding and the half-cut tomato she had been slicing. Shaking her head, she focused on her work again, confused at the warm, fluttering sensation in her stomach. Something about seeing Teb interacting with the little girl had caused it, his sweet, open gentleness towards her that had touched some spot inside Aloy she didn’t know she had.

After closing the door, she could tell by his footsteps that Teb finally approached her. He wrapped his arms around Aloy’s waist from behind her back, leaning heavily against her, his face pressed into her hair as he let out an exhausted groan.

Aloy chuckled. “Hard day?”

“You have no idea,” Teb muttered, his voice muffled by her hair. “Lady Kharissa is such a tricky one to deal with. Never satisfied with the colors, no matter how often I tell her that their final look depends on the light outside. Khadi is very sweet, though.”

Aloy felt Teb inhale deeply while his nose was still pressed into her hair. “I’m so glad you’re back, and we’re alone, Aloy.”

Aloy grinned. “Me too.”

She finished slicing the tomato and set the knife aside. One corner of her lips quirking into a playful smirk, Aloy spun around, still in Teb’s arms, and leaned up to kiss him. Teb hummed into the kiss, relaxing in the embrace. Aloy couldn’t help but feel conscious to how the kiss turned out, the gentle, chaste press of his lips against hers, so much softer and different from the biting assault the couple she had observed had shared.

Teb broke the kiss when his stomach rumbled, causing Aloy to laugh.

“Sorry. I’ve been working nonstop,” he chuckled, his breath warm against Aloy’s lips.

“Let’s feed you, then,” she suggested.

They had dinner, which was indeed roasted goose as Aloy had suspected, with a side of sliced vegetables in apple vinegar. The goose had been simmering for hours, Aloy assumed, knowing Teb’s way of cooking, and the pink meat was so tender it all but melted on her tongue. Aloy filled Teb’s plate two more times until they were both full, moving to sit comfortably on their customary spot on pillows in front of the open balcony doors, watching the sky above the lake slowly turning from copper to dark, inky blue.

“Teb, do you…” Aloy started suddenly, remembering what the little girl had unintentionally revealed to her. “Do you find me beautiful?”

By the jerk that went through Teb’s form she could tell that she had taken him aback with her question, and she didn’t need to see his face to know he was blushing. She barely knew herself why she asked this so openly, not used to talking about… things like that, but a part of her wanted to hear it from him.

“I… I do, Aloy. I… That can’t be the first time you hear that from another person. Almost everybody tells you as much,” Teb replied carefully, his last words dissolving into a little chuckle.

“Yes, but that never meant anything to me. I’ve never heard it from you,” Aloy said quietly, not knowing why she suddenly felt the deep urge to hear him say it.

Teb’s deep, green gaze held hers, searching her face as if he was looking directly into her soul.

“And if I say it… Does it mean something?”

Aloy found herself unable to answer, so she just nodded.

“You are beautiful, Aloy. The most beautiful person I’ve ever met,” Teb said sincerely. One of his hands curled around hers and squeezed, warm and firm. Aloy swallowed, her heart beating faster and her cheeks heating up. It _did_ feel different when he said it, so good it almost hurt.

She leaned in and they kissed, long and gently.

“Do you…,” Teb suddenly murmured against her lips. “Do you find me… at least somewhat pleasant to look at, Aloy? I mean, I’m not exactly handsome, but…”

Aloy pulled away a little, looking Teb over. He couldn’t be serious, could he? Aloy had long come to appreciate his slender, lean body, that growing, puzzling curiosity causing her to crave to get familiar with the shapes of him, enjoying it thoroughly when they pressed against each other while sharing a bed. His face she liked too, his gorgeous green eyes and slightly curved lips that were so sweet and giving against hers.

“Oh shut up. You are very pretty, Teb,” she said, not quite sure how to say what she felt and how much she appreciated his looks. Aloy decided to wrap it in a joke instead. She gave one of Teb’s dreadlocks a poke. “Despite your silly hair.”

Teb chuckled. “Really?”

“Yes! I like your nose,” Aloy smirked, running a finger down the bridge of his straight nose with the distinct little beauty mark on the right side, causing Teb to crinkle his nose with a stupidly adorable expression.

“And I like everything else too,” she concluded, solemnly this time, her fingers splaying over his cheek down to his jaw.

Teb blinked rapidly, his smile wavering around the edges. He leaned in and kissed her wordlessly, and for a long, blissful moment that was all they did while the night rose around them.

Eventually, Aloy got tired of the lingering memories of that couple she had watched, and the way they had kissed. She decided to go into uncharted waters and ask Teb about it, since talking about this the last time had helped settling down her restless mind and she was willing to try that approach again.

“Teb?” she began, waiting for him to pull back to look at her. “Today, at the market, I’ve seen two people, a man and a woman.”

Teb titled his head, obviously curious. “And?”

“They… were kissing, but in a different way than we do.”

Now, Teb’s eyebrows arched. “Oh? Different in what way?”

Aloy hesitated a moment. “Well, it looked like they had their mouths open, somehow, and they were using their tongues a lot.”

Realization dawned on Teb’s face, and his lips stretched into a smile. “Oh, that. Yes, that’s a thing that many people like. It’s called a deep kiss.”

“Oh. Is it… Is it nice? Have you done that already? I admit it looked a little gross,” Aloy remarked carefully. Teb laughed.

“Well, I personally wouldn’t kiss someone like that after they had a large portion of pickled fish with garlic, if you know what I mean,” he chuckled, making Aloy chime in, grateful for his amused reaction. He continued. “But otherwise, it’s very pleasant, actually. It’s a step further from the normal kisses. It’s… very close, and very nice.”

Aloy nodded, feeling a white-hot glow inside her stomach coiling like a slingshot. Earlier she would have tried to suppress that sensation, but now she allowed it, rode it out and gave in to it.

“Teb… Would you teach me how to do it?”

For a moment, Teb didn’t say anything, but she felt the hand that he had still wrapped around her own tighten ever so slightly. Eventually he nodded, something longing sparkling in his eyes.

“It would be my pleasure, if you want to give it a try.”

Aloy wanted, she realized. Determined, she leaned in a little, trying to remember how the man had done it in the market. Before her insecurity could get the better of her Aloy decided to just pull through and quickly dragged her tongue over Teb’s still closed lips.

She knew that her experiment hadn’t quite been right when Teb first made a muffled yelp of surprise and then started laughing. Aloy blinked, slightly confused since that’s been what she’d seen. When Teb kept laughing, she couldn’t help but smirk.

“What? That was wrong, wasn’t it?”

“Oh Aloy, I don’t want to say there’s any right or wrong when it comes to this matter, but that’s… not quite how it’s done,” Teb replied chuckling, wiping Aloy’s failed attempt to kiss him from his face with the back of his hand. By his gentle smile and shining eyes she could tell that he wasn’t taken aback, just deeply amused. Putting all her trust in him, she decided to offer him the lead.

“Alright, Teb. How is it done, then?”

“Give me your hand, Aloy.”

Aloy quirked an eyebrow up, but still offered him her hand. Teb took it with his and pulled it up to his mouth. Aloy’s breathing hitched for a moment when Teb gently pressed his lips against the back of her hand in a soft kiss.

“That’s a normal kiss,” he said, then brought her hand to his mouth again, making sure Aloy could see what he was doing as he demonstrated that other kind of kiss.

He started by opening his lips just a fraction and gently brushed the tip of his tongue over her hand, then closed his lips over the moist patch of skin and softly pressed them to her hand. There was a sweet, quiet kissing sound when he pulled away that made Aloy’s mouth turn dry. Teb did it again, gentle touches of his tongue and his warm mouth closing over them as if he was sealing them on her skin.

“And that’s a deep kiss.”

Teb showed it again on Aloy’s hand a few times, then he let go of her wrist, his golden-green eyes finding hers.

“Would you like to try that with me?” Teb asked quietly. Aloy just nodded, leaning in with heavy lids and her heart racing in her chest.

This time, she waited for Teb to make the first move. When their lips touched he opened his mouth a bit and she did the same, allowing him to brush his tongue against her lips. At the first contact Aloy flinched a little, but when his warm, wet tongue traced over her lips once more she found that it was actually very pleasant. She let herself sink into the feeling, all nerves tingling and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge when Teb slowly, tentatively slipped his tongue inside her mouth for just a second before pulling it back, as if inviting her to do the same. Driven by that warm glow inside her, Aloy complied, brushed her tongue first over his lips and then carefully dipped it inside Teb’s mouth.

Upon tasting him in this incredibly intimate way she felt herself shiver and a quiet moan escaped her, causing Teb to tighten his hold on her arms, pulling her closer. He tasted sweet and strange and enticing, and when their tongues brushed against each other it felt like a low-level electric shock surging through Aloy’s veins, making her entire body tremble with a nameless need for more. Teb’s kiss got more urgent, still tender but melting into the contact, and he made desperate little sounds in the back of his throat that Aloy chased with her mouth.

It was still new, so different from what she had secretly watched in the market, not at all violent and pressing. Their kiss was still Teb through and through, his soft, careful devotion radiating from each and every move and touch, but this new way of exchanging warmth and breath still kindled something new in Aloy, something raw and longing burning up deep inside her core.

 _Maybe_ , she thought as she turned her head a little, her hand coming up to rub over Teb’s ear, savoring his soft moan vibrating against her mouth as she leaned in to kiss him deeply once more, _maybe it’s like that with everything I haven’t been caring about. All the things that involve contact, and touches, and closeness. Maybe it’s all very nice, after all, just because I’m sharing it with Teb._

Later, when Teb was slowly falling asleep next to her, one of his arms cast across her stomach, Aloy’s fingertips gently touched her own lips, chasing the sensation that still lingered there.

Her fingers wandered down her jaw, over the soft skin on her throat, until they reached her collarbone, deeper still over her chest, heat pooling low in her stomach as she imagined, just for a moment, that her hand was replaced by Teb’s lips, and his tongue, tracing warm, wet paths over her naked skin.

Blushing, confused about her own actions, Aloy snatched her hand away, pressing close to Teb again, but until the very moment she finally fell asleep, a quiet corner of her mind kept reminding her that if she could ask him for his kisses, she could ask him for this as well.


	14. Chapter 14

XIV.

Aloy woke to the sound of Carja merchants haggling noisily about maize prices outside the workshop as they walked past. When Aloy opened her eyes and blinked she realized the sun had risen already, morning mist hanging heavily over the lake and between the tree canopies in the jungle outside the balcony. Teb was still sound asleep next to her, lying half on his back and half on his side with an arm draped over Aloy’s stomach.

She smiled, taking a moment to look at his peaceful expression. Last night, between trying to fall asleep and _not_ trying to think of how it would feel if Teb’s tongue licked hot paths down her neck, Aloy had attempted to distract herself by remembering her talk with the Matriarchs back in the Embrace, and her still unfulfilled plan to create a friendly approach between the Sundom and the Sacred land. She had decided to visit Sun King Avad today since she knew there was a meeting between the heads of the guilds in Meridian taking place and thus the amount of artisans and nobles waiting for an audience would be much lower than on other days.

For now, though, she had other things to take care of, the most important one to wake Teb, something she’d come to enjoy a lot like a game only the two of them understood.

Aloy bent down, whispering in Teb’s ear.

“Wake up, it’s already past sunrise. Also I’m hungry, Teb, you need to make breakfast.”

As expected, Teb let out a weak groan and rolled on his back to evade her voice. Aloy chuckled at his drowsy expression and leaned down to kiss him awake instead. As soon as her lips touched his, she felt him press into the kiss even though he was still half asleep. Once more, Aloy felt reminded that she could ask for this whenever she wanted and Teb would always grant it readily. It never failed to fill her with a sense of amazement and deep, pleasant dizziness about Teb’s trust when he offered her this kind of contact.

Remembering their lesson yesterday, Aloy tried to deepen the kiss a little, brushing her tongue over his lips. That finally woke him up, eliciting a soft groan from Teb and a muffled laugh that tickled against her skin.

“Oh, Aloy. It’s so early, have some mercy,” he rumbled smiling, returning her kiss carefully. Aloy chuckled and relented, taming the kiss until it was a gentle press of her lips on his.

“Sorry, Teb.”

“No, it’s alright. My favorite way to wake up. C’mere,” Teb muttered, rolling on his side and lifting a corner of the blanket so Aloy could settle in his arms. She did, enjoying his warmth, but he must have felt her squirming with the urge to get up and going. He pressed her close one more time, then let her go from his arms and sat up, blinking drowsily while Aloy kneeled next to him. Teb yawned and arched his back.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice groggy with sleep, and leaned in to press a soft kiss against Aloy’s cheek. He finally moved to get up so Aloy left him to it, already well familiar with how long Teb needed in the mornings to get going. She grinned to herself as she walked to the washbowl to get clean and groomed when she saw him clumsily fishing for proper pants and his tunic, yawning against the back of his hand.

After Aloy had washed and combed her red locks as well as she could, she left the corner with the washbowl for Teb. She started getting her gear ready while she waited for Teb to prepare their breakfast. Aloy itched to go hunting again after the long break and her planned meeting with Avad today, even if she didn’t know when she’d set out in the wilds. Still, being prepared never hurt, so Aloy busied herself with crafting ammunition. Soon after, the scent of frying bacon filled the air and made Aloy’s stomach growl. Teb had started to get breakfast ready while Aloy was carefully pouring just the right amount of blaze into a metal vessel, sealing it before picking up the next. It required a good deal of concentration from her no matter how often she’d already handled the explosive green liquid, so Aloy only noticed that Teb had approached her when he was standing right next to her seat.

His face hovered into her field of vision, shooting her a smile. He made to lean in to kiss her, and Aloy felt a slight surge of insecurity, just for a moment, because this was _not_ the right moment to get distracted.

“Teb, I’d prefer not to blow up the apartment with this,” she commented, blinking when Teb immediately retreated. Peeking over her shoulder showed her that he still smiled.

“Sorry, I didn’t see it was blaze you were working with. Good luck, then. I’ll tell you when breakfast is ready, Aloy,” he said idly, apparently not offended by her words at all. Instead of kissing her, Teb reached out and gently smoothed his palm over her hair in a soft caress, then went back to the kitchen.

Aloy knew this shouldn’t surprise her, but their closeness still felt new in situations like this when she was reacting to Teb in unfamiliar ways, like signaling him she was not in the mood for kisses. Deep down she was pleasantly reminded that she could always say _no_ to him and he would readily accept it without questioning. It reassured Aloy that Teb would never pressure her if she didn’t want it, that she wasn’t obliged to return his advances if she didn’t feel like it. For him it was the same, even though Aloy couldn’t really remember an occasion in which he’d not readily returned her kiss or touch other than that one time when he almost miscounted stitches on a complicated embroidery pattern and politely asked her to wait a few moments before kissing her passionately once he was done.

Other than moments in which she was carefully handling explosive or toxic materials while crafting ammunition, Aloy could also not remember an occasion in which she’d said no to his approach.

With heat pooling low in her abdomen and a pleasant shiver making her cheeks blush, Aloy focused back on the bombs she was making, carefully sealing the opening and placing it in her satchel next to the finished ones. She continued her work until she had filled two small bags to the brim, determined not to let a disaster like the one with the Thunderjaw happen again by distributing her ammo in several smaller satchels. After she was done Teb had their breakfast ready, offering Aloy a bowl of fried boar bacon with roasted root slices he’d kept from yesterday’s dinner. Aloy eagerly dug into her food, watching Teb reading some notes as he ate.

“You look like there’s something wrong, Teb,” Aloy remarked between two bites of crispy meat. Teb’s head jerked up from the parchment he’d been frowning at to look at her.

“Erm… it’s some shard issues I have. I mean, it’s not that I don’t earn enough, but there are some materials I can only buy in the guilds and they charge me way more than Meridian citizens, so I can’t afford as much as I need. Same goes for that leaking pipe we have in the back of the apartment, apparently if you’re not a citizen you have to repair it yourself,” he replied.

While he spoke, Aloy remembered what she’d discussed with the Matriarchs, and an idea struck her.

“Then we’ll have to make you a citizen, Teb. I was considering that ever after talking to the High Matriarchs in Mother’s Heart when they asked me if you had gotten integrated in the Carja society already. I was going to talk to Sun King Avad today anyway. You’ll come with me.”

Teb stared at her with wide eyes. “But… but Aloy, why would he agree to make me a citizen?”

Aloy shrugged. “Let’s just say he likes me. He’ll do it if I ask him.”

“Everybody likes you, Aloy,” Teb commented, laughing softly.

“Maybe, but I don’t like everybody,” Aloy retorted sarcastically.

“As long as you like me that’s fine with me,” Teb chuckled. It was meant as a joke, but Aloy still didn’t miss the soft, adoring expression flickering over his features.

“Don’t worry, then,” she said quietly, setting her bowl down and leaning over. They exchanged a soft, chaste kiss, Teb’s warm palm caressing her cheek.

When they retreated back to their bowls, Teb’s face went from amused to concerned again, insecurity at the prospect of visiting the King himself obvious in his expression.

“Are you sure we can just go there…? I mean, he’s the King of the Carja…”

“Avad is actually a very nice guy. Trust me. It’ll be fine,” Aloy said, finishing her last bite of bacon. “By the way… You wouldn’t need some machine parts any time soon, would you?”

Teb smirked, a knowing glitter in his eyes. “You really can’t wait to set out again, right? As it happens… I could use some Glinthawk lenses, wings and hearts for an ornate armor I’m making.”

“Good. I’d prefer to hunt Glinthawks right at the sites they are flocking at so I can pick one by one instead of having to deal with an entire swarm harvesting on a carcass. There is a large site about one and a half days from here,” Aloy replied. “I’ll set out tonight, if that’s alright.”

“I have a customer here this evening, so that’s fine with me.”

“That’s decided, then.”

Having made their plans for the day, Aloy cleaned the dishes while Teb changed again, picking some less worn clothes and more necklaces to look a bit more presentable to the King. Aloy found that Teb always looked presentable, clean and shaved and well dressed as he was, but she understood his wish to make a good first impression since he’d be the first male Nora Avad would ever meet.

Aloy was cleaning a wooden plate with a towel when Teb stepped in close to her.

“What do you think?”

She looked him over, noticing the tribal ornaments representing his origin and the well-fitted fawn leather pants that brought out his long legs and height. Teb wore a sleeveless tunic that was a lot more slim fit than his usual lose shirt and that accentuated the trim curves and solid planes of his muscles underneath. There was some fresh blue clay pigment dusted over his dreadlocks matching the color of his tribal mark curved around his eye. Some of the powder was smeared on the bridge of his nose.

Aloy frowned, brought her thumb to her tongue to wet it and rubbed it over Teb’s nose to remove the blue stain. Teb made a muffled sound of surprise and grinned, but held still. Then, she nodded, satisfied with his looks and pointedly ignoring her lower stomach telling her just _how_ good he looked.

“Now it’s fine. We can show you to the King like that.”

Teb grinned. “Thank you, Aloy. After you.”

They left, Teb locking the apartment behind Aloy with one of the two keys hidden in the pouch around his neck. He followed her over the busy market, stopping occasionally to exchange some greetings with former customers or merchants. Aloy noticed a certain absence of some artisans that were usually always there from dawn to dusk and concluded that the meeting of the guild members was already happening, so they wouldn’t have to wait long to be taken to Avad. Not that Aloy couldn’t simply walk past the entire queue in front of the palace and cut the waiting time without the guards stopping her, but she preferred not to do that to not appear arrogant or overly privileged to the Carja citizens.

They crossed the long bridge to the palace together, passing rows of Carja guards flanking the ornate banister. The golden towers and intricate archways of the palace loomed over them, and Aloy noticed Teb shrinking in on himself the closer they got. For the last part of the bridge, she took his hand to reassure him. Apparently in all the months he’d been living in Meridian he’d never dared to get close to the Palace of the Sun, but Aloy was determined to show him that Avad was not pretentious as the pompous building he lived in, or had to live in, suggested. There was no queue waiting at all, Aloy noticed with relief, just a group of merchants already done with their audience returning from the palace.

At the bottom of the stairs leading up to the terrace hosting the Sun King’s throne, Aloy stopped for another moment, turning around to Teb. She could tell by his expression that he was horribly nervous.

“Let me walk ahead first and announce you. I’ll whistle when you can follow,” she said.

Teb nodded, his eyebrows drawn together in worry. “Okay, if you say so.”

“Trust me, Teb. There’s no reason to be afraid.”

She placed a palm on Teb’s cheek, smiling when he leaned into the touch. Aloy shot a quick glance up and down the bridge, checking if all guards were turning their backs to them, then leaned up and pressed her lips on Teb’s.

She felt him relax into the kiss, his arms moving around her to cradle the back of her head and comb through her hair. Without thinking, lost in the sensation, Aloy brushed her tongue over Teb’s lips and moaned quietly when he took her in readily to curl his tongue against hers, deepening the kiss as they pressed even closer.

Teb broke the kiss when they heard a few guards approaching, giving Aloy a coy smirk, an adorable blush on his cheeks that showed that she had at least managed to distract him for a moment. Aloy shot Teb a wink and made her way up the stairs, walking straight up to the terrace with the ornate pavilion.

The young Sun King just turned around from his spot at the barrister where he’d been standing overlooking Meridian when Aloy reached him. His crown and ornate garb Aloy paid no mind to, but more so to his smile when he saw her. She still remembered the occasions in which Avad had expressed a certain interest for her that went far beyond her boundaries when he was mourning Ersa, and she was glad that before the battle they had been able to settle things down to mutual friendship, a friendship she much appreciated.

“Aloy!” he greeted her with open arms. “It’s good to see you.”

“Your Radiance,” Aloy replied with a sarcastic, but friendly-meant little bow, grinning when he laughed.

“I guess I should congratulate you, Aloy,” Avad said, a strange, gentle expression settling on his features.

Aloy blinked. “On what? Have I done anything to save the city recently and failed to notice?”

“Well, you must forgive me, but it was hard to overlook when you came here. I’m glad you found a mate, Aloy. You seem happy with him.”

It took Aloy a moment for Avad’s words to sink in, but when they did her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she felt heat rising in her cheeks.

“Teb..? No, he’s not… We are not a couple, Avad.”

Now, it was Avad’s turn to look surprised. “Oh? Forgive me, then. I thought I could tell by how… close you were.”

Aloy blinked, but then realized that Avad had apparently seen them holding hands for the last steps of the way, and probably also the long, thorough kiss she had shared with Teb. A strange kind of protest and confusion shot through her veins, making her heart beat faster in a less pleasant way than usually.

She and Teb weren’t a couple, were they…?

“Who is he, then, if I’m allowed to ask?” Avad added politely, startling Aloy out of her stupor.

“He… is my business partner. Not my mate. We just…”

 _We hug. We share a bed. We kiss, very often. Business partners don’t do that_ , her treacherous thoughts chimed in, causing Aloy to bite her tongue.

“… It’s alright, you don’t have to justify yourself, Aloy. It’s none of my concern. So, you are business partners, yes? You live in separate places, then?”

“… No, we… We live together.”

Avad’s eyebrows rose and Aloy cursed herself for that new surge of heat, hoping against all hope that she wasn’t blushing.

“In that case… I assume things are going well for you? You seem to trust him,” Avad said politely, but Aloy could see in his eyes that he was absolutely aware of how ridiculous her defensive answers must have sounded. Deciding to change the topic, she addressed her reason of coming to see the King in the first place.

“Speaking of that, I came here to talk about him. His name is Teb, he’s the only other Nora here in Meridian, and he’s been running the Stitcher workshop for almost a year now. I wanted to ask you to make him a citizen,” she said firmly, glad to be back in familiar waters.

“Oh, that’s the foreign artisan I heard so much about? I should have figured it was a fellow Nora, and that you had to do something with it, Aloy. It seems you spread change wherever you go,” Avad replied, an honest smile on his face. “Please, introduce him to me.”

Aloy whistled and walked to the stairs to wait for Teb making his way up. When he arrived he looked ready to bolt, but still managed to shoot her a gentle smile when he spotted her. Aloy took Teb’s arm and guided him towards Avad, knowing that her reassuring touch would calm him. She was aware how that gesture must have looked to Avad, but he’d already made assumptions after seeing their kiss and she didn’t feel that there was anything to hide.

“Avad, this is Teb of the Nora,” Aloy said once reaching the King, who looked Teb over, obviously curious when seeing a Nora male for the first time. Teb’s origin was way more obvious compared to Aloy, expressed in tribal markings, hairstyle and traditional colors.

Teb tensed next to her, obviously unsure how to behave when confronted with the Sun King, and settled for a nervous bow.

“I’m honored,” he muttered.

He looked up again when Avad laughed. “Now, there. No reason to bow. If you’re a close friend of Aloy’s, there’s no-one you should bow to, Teb. I’m Sun King of the Carja. You may call me Avad.”

“My pleasure,” Teb replied, now mustering a lopsided smile.

“Aloy told me you’d like to become a citizen of Meridian. Is that so?” Avad asked with a touch of amusement in his voice.

Teb nodded. “I’ve been living here for almost a year now, but I have noticed it would benefit my work if I had the same status as the other artisans.”

“I’ve heard of your work, and how well accepted it is among my people. I’ve always hoped to set the animosities between Nora and Carja aside, but I’m also aware of how deep their wounds still are despite the time that passed since the last king. I’m thankful for your efforts, Teb,” Avad said sincerely.

Teb smiled widely now. “I’m just a simple Stitcher doing what I was meant to do, but I’m glad that my work has a positive effect. I’d always looked beyond the Nora border with fascination and I’m also hoping there will be a more friendly relationship between our two people, one day.”

“I’m… impressed to hear a Nora say that, Teb. I’ll gladly make you a citizen, given you agree to the conditions coming with it. Being a citizen of the Sundom would grant you certain benefits, but also some duties like regular taxes. However, you’d be part of my people and it would be my personal obligation to take care of your needs should you require any help. Can you agree to that?”

“I can,” Teb replied. Avad nodded.

“Very well. Please talk to Marad, my advisor. He will fill you in on the details of it.”

Avad gave a subtle signal to a nearby doorway and immediately Blameless Marad appeared, waving Teb over to a table covered in parchments and books. Teb shot Aloy another glance, but after her encouraging nod he walked over to the King’s advisor.

Avad turned his attention back to Aloy once Teb was talking to Marad out of earshot.

“You mentioned Teb is your business partner… What do you do for him? You don’t make clothing like he does, I assume?” he asked amused.

“I hunt resources for Teb to use as materials, mostly parts of rare and dangerous machines that are hard to come by,” Aloy answered with no little amount of pride in her voice.

“I see. Seems like a perfect match, then,” Avad said, and Aloy wasn’t sure if she’d imagined him winking. “All joke aside, I’m glad you’ve found this occupation for yourself, and his companionship. Teb is compassionate, and smart, and you two seem to follow the same path, both in your own ways.”

Aloy felt herself smile, her heart beating with something else than nervousness this time.

“We do.”

“You’ve made a good choice, Aloy. You two look like you belong together. I… I’m very glad for you, really. I wish you all the best for your future,” Avad said, and by his sincere tone Aloy could tell that he meant it, with all his heart.

“… Thank you.”

They exchanged a smile. Aloy cleared her throat.

“I… was talking to the High Matriarchs of the Nora when I visited Mother’s Heart recently. I was asking them for their consent to an open border, and if they would allow Nora to go and settle in the Sundom if they wished. A lot of Nora villagers would actually approve of trading Carja wares, but the Matriarchs would only allow free passage if the traders and travelers can expect safe paths,” she added.

“That’s… actually more than I had ever hoped, knowing how badly the Carja envoys were perceived after the massacre at the Proving back then,” Avad said. “My deepest condolences, by the way. Of course you have my consent for an open border, and I’d gladly send more patrols to the path between Daytower and Meridian to keep travelers safe, now that the war with the Shadow Carja has settled somewhat. I can’t be responsible for what travelling Nora do off the roads, though, and I admit I would like to be sure my people are safe from your arrows as well if they dare to enter the Sacred Lands.”

Aloy grinned, hope flaring up in her like a lit bonfire. “Thanks, Avad. I’ll let the Matriarchs know, if you can give me an envoy. Their word is law, and be sure that nobody will disobey them and attack Carja if they say they are not to be harmed unless they want to be made outcasts.”

“How about… Nora settling down with families, or finding partners here?” Avad wanted to know.

Aloy sighed. “Two of the three High Matriarchs find that impossible, the third might need a positive example to get motivated to convince the others. The… mate blessing and childbirth rituals are sacred to them and pretty unshakable, I guess.”

“Time will show if that’s possible. Small steps will bring us there. Thank you for helping our lands to make another one. Tell me when you’re ready to send an envoy to the Embrace,” Avad said with a smile, placing a palm on Aloy’s shoulder that she didn’t shake off.

They were interrupted by Teb and Marad returning from their discussion.

“Your Radiance, I’ve instructed Teb about his new duties as well as his rights and privileges,” Marad reported. Aloy looked Teb over to see if he was still willing to pull through with his wish to devote the center of his life to the Carja Sundom and settle down permanently. She saw in his gentle, determined expression that he was and returned his enthusiastic smile.

“Very well. Thank you, you are dismissed.”

Avad waited for Marad to bow to the little group and make his way back into the palace, then turned his full attention to Teb. He beckoned him closer until he was within touching range, then placed a hand on Teb’s shoulder.

“Teb, do you have someone to vouch for you?”

“I will vouch for him,” Aloy said. Avad nodded.

“Teb of the Nora, I, Sun King Avad, fourteenth Luminance of the Radiant Line, hereby declare you a citizen of Meridian and part of the Sundom. May the sun always light your path.”

-

On the way back, Teb’s steps were so different from the heavy, nervous gait he’d shown when they’d made their way to the palace. He all but bounced when he walked next to Aloy, back straight as an arrow and preening with pride. Aloy had a wide smirk on her face the entire way back to their apartment, less because Avad had readily given in to her plea to allow a trading trail and more about Teb’s excitement.

“I’m a citizen of Meridian now, did you know that?” he joked, poking her ribs with his elbow.

“Oh, is that so, Teb? Could it be that you are the first Nora ever to be made a citizen?” Aloy joked back.

At that, Teb stopped and blinked at her.

“You… you haven’t been made a citizen?”

“Well… I guess I’ve been made an honorary citizen a long time ago, with the seeker’s mark and all, and after the things I did for Avad and his people. But never, you know, officially, with a speech and all like you. I’m proud of you, Teb.”

Teb grinned. “Thank you, Aloy. I’m very happy about it.”

Aloy winked at him and took his arm, and together they returned to the small workshop. It was early afternoon still, leaving Aloy some time until she would set out again to hunt Glinthawks as soon as the sun went down. She busied herself with cleaning her bow of rust and oil, dressed only in soft pants and a simple tunic that was laced around her collar after a day of enduring wearing armor while the sun beat down on her. Teb worked on a commissioned garment next to her. They shared a light dinner together, leftovers from their roasted goose yesterday and fresh maize bread, and Teb prepared a package of cold meat and fruits for Aloy to take with her on the hunt.

While Aloy was stashing her lunch package away, she suddenly found the box of pigment sticks she had bought for Teb the other day.

“Teb, I almost forgot… I have something for you. Here. Consider it a gift in honor of your new citizenship,” she said with playful solemnity, handing Teb the box.

“Oh? Aloy, that’s… Thank you,” he replied with a soft blush spreading over his cheeks as he accepted the box from her. He opened it and Aloy had to bite her tongue to tame her smirk and racing heartbeat when his eye widened.

“Aloy… Those are crayons, aren’t they? I’ve heard of Banuk artists using them to draw but I didn’t know they were available here… Oh, thank you, Aloy,” Teb muttered, eyes shining with joy, leaning forward to hug her. Aloy chuckled and returned the hug, both surprised and glad that a simple box of pigments made him this happy.

“Do you have a use for them?” she asked. Teb nodded excitedly.

“I’ll test them out while you are away. So far I’ve always done my sketches with charcoal, but now I can use colors as well. This is wonderful, Aloy.”

Teb skittered over to his workshop and gently placed the box of crayons on a table. He returned to Aloy, sitting down on his pillow close to her again. His hand came up to touch her cheek, his smile still soft and brimming with thankfulness. He looked her over for a long moment, then leaned in.

They kissed, chaste at first, then more than that. When Teb brushed his tongue over Aloy’s lips she tilted her head to allow him deeper, shivering when their tongues curled against each other. Upon tasting her Teb’s hands crawled into her hair, pulling her closer. Something inside Aloy hummed and glowed white-hot, urged him on, hearing his soft moan when she enhanced the pressure. She caught Teb’s little sounds of pleasure with her mouth until he suddenly let the hand that was caressing her temple wander down her jaw, brushing over the sensitive skin on her neck. Something shattered inside Aloy, leaving behind a sweet ache that caused her to gasp against Teb’s lips and she leaned in closer still, sinking into the sensation.

“My customer will be here soon, Aloy,” Teb whispered, his words muffled by her lips.

“I don’t care, Teb,” she whispered back, her lips twitching into a short smile that Teb eagerly covered in tiny kisses before pressing his mouth against hers again.

“Good.”

Their kiss lasted, bodies pressed chest to chest as close as they could get while sitting in front of each other, Aloy’s mind wiped clean except for that low hum and tingling sensation that set every tiny hair on her arms and the back of her neck on edge, and the wonderful taste of Teb’s mouth.

“How long will you be away?” Teb all but breathed against her lips.

Aloy huffed into the kiss, suddenly aware that no matter how much she craved to set out to hunt, even thinking of stopping something as good as this almost hurt.

“About three days to reach the site and get back,” she answered quietly, pulling back only for a moment, long enough to see the longing shine in Teb’s eyes and his impossibly large pupils before he leaned in again to kiss her.

“By the stars, I’ll miss you so much, Aloy,” Teb moaned quietly. Aloy’s heart hurt when she let his words sink in, and Avad’s assumptions swam back into the mush her mind had turned into, when he told her the two of them looked like they belonged together.

“I’ll miss you too, Teb.”

Aloy wouldn’t have believed it to be possible, but at her words their kiss intensified even more, Teb gently biting her bottom lip that caused a quiet moan to escape her, her hands coming up to caress Teb’s soft, shaved hair. Eventually Aloy felt Teb shifting his sitting position, moving from kneeling to cross-legged. She was about to ask him whether the other position was getting uncomfortable when he pulled back only a little, instead of kissing her mouth moving to press tiny kisses on her cheek.

Aloy grinned with amusement, holding still to see where Teb was going with this.

Teb’s lips moved over her forehead, pressing soft kisses on her skin with quiet little sounds that made Aloy’s racing heart beat even faster each time. She chuckled with amusement when Teb continued kissing her nose, moving to the other cheek.

“What are you doing, Teb?” she asked eventually, laughing softly.

“I’m going to kiss each and every one of your beautiful freckles,” Teb came back, his breath warm against her skin. Aloy could hear by his tone that he was smiling and she couldn’t help but smirk too.

“Oh? In that case, you’re going to be very busy. The freckles on my face are not the only ones I have on my body,” Aloy replied grinning.

Teb’s pause was minuscule but still there, and Aloy realized with a start what she had just implied, shocked at the surge of fierce heat rushing through her. Aloy’s mind rapidly supplied her with a reminder of _where_ she was freckled - her shoulders, her arms and her breasts. She hadn’t put much mind about what she’d just said, but now her head reeled with thoughts, the most dominant one the mental image of Teb kissing down her throat, his soft, warm lips tracing her collarbone, his breath on her skin and his hands following the path his mouth left.

Teb continued to kiss her jaw, but Aloy had felt his pause, short as it had been, and she knew he had had just the same image in his mind.

There was a tiny, quiet part inside Aloy still hesitating, but it was drowned out by those other thoughts, by the heat in her chest, by the fierce, nameless want, flooded never to be seen again.

Aloy’s hands came up and undid the tie that held her tunic together at the neck, slowly pulling at the strings until the collar came open.

Teb pulled back when he realized what she was doing, holding her gaze, and despite his dark eyes and the obvious desire in them he was searching her face, looking for signs of insecurity. His eyes flicked down to Aloy’s hands as she slowly pulled the ties apart until her collarbone was exposed, then moved up to her face again.

Aloy held his gaze and leaned back only a little, inviting him.

Teb blinked, his gorgeous green eyes boring into hers once more, looking for her consent and finding it, then he bent down to kiss her chin, making his way to her throat. Teb’s breath was shockingly warm on her skin when he kissed her neck and his tongue was even warmer, burning hot when he flicked it over her sensitive skin followed by cold as the air dried the wet patch he left. A soft moan escaped Aloy without her being able to do anything about it at the mass of sensations flooding her mind as Teb’s lips travelled down her neck, slowly, taking his time with every patch of skin as he kissed and licked a path to her collarbone.

“Do you like that?” Teb whispered against Aloy’s skin, chasing a powerful shudder down her spine.

“Yes…” she all but gasped, shocked about how husky her voice was, so rough she barely recognized it as her own.

When Teb’s mouth closed over the soft skin on her clavicles and _sucked_ , Aloy’s eyes fluttered shut. Something deep inside her core sang with wonder and bliss and want, craved for more, and before she could think her hands pulled Teb’s head closer, urged him on, giving in to feed that fire inside her. She breathed his name, causing Teb to moan softly against her skin in response. He complied readily, his lips moving across her clavicles to her shoulder, kissing and licking, one arm wrapped around her torso to support her and the other caressing up her arm. Aloy felt his hand gently pushing the cloth of her tunic aside until her left shoulder came free and did nothing to stop him, gasping with pleasure when Teb’s mouth arrived there, his head nestled in the curve of her neck as his other hand slowly exposed her other shoulder as well, his palm warm on her naked skin.

Somebody knocked on the door.

Both Aloy’s and Teb’s heads jerked up so quickly that they almost bumped together as they flinched away from each other, eyes wide as they got startled out of their blissful daze.

“Just… just a moment, I’ll be right there!” Teb said loudly, getting back to his senses before Aloy. His gaze found hers, one hand of his coming up to cradle the side of her face. Aloy was breathing as heavily as he was, she realized, as if she’d been running, with the difference that he head swam and her chest was warm and she felt that white-hot glow pooling low in her stomach, pulsing, hungry for more.

Teb’s hand trembled ever so slightly and his eyes were almost black, and Aloy realized he was feeling just the same as her. He searched her face and seemed to find something there that made his lips curl into a gentle, touched smile.

“That’s my customer, sorry… I… Are you alright?” he asked softly.

Aloy blinked, her mind still reeling with that dizzying sensation. “I’m fine.”

She mustered a smile, leaning into the touch. “… I… I liked that.”

Teb returned her smile, his voice barely a whisper. “Me too, Aloy.”

He leaned forward again and Aloy savored the kiss they shared, suddenly and painfully aware that it would be the last one for at least a few days. Nothing had ever felt as frustrating as the moment Teb pulled back and scrambled to his feet, shooting her one last gaze, brimming with adoration and longing, before quickly getting his clothes in order and heading for the door.

When she got up to retreat from the workshop Aloy realized that her tunic was still open, exposing her collarbone and shoulders. Blushing heavily she hurried to tie her tunic closed, moving to the back of the apartment to gather her gear for the hunt she had almost forgotten. Time seemed to move impossibly fast after appearing to have stopped altogether when she was exchanging those touches and kisses with Teb. Aloy fought to get her senses back in control to not forget anything as she packed ammunition and weapons into satchels, adding spare clothes, blankets, a full waterskin and some of Teb’s soap. Shortly after she made to set out, something deep inside her clenching painfully when she turned around to Teb once more who was busy with his customer, unable to simply excuse himself and hug her one more time.

They exchanged a quick greeting, but in Teb’s eyes she could see that he wanted to say so much more, how much he would miss her company and her kisses, and Aloy felt the same when she returned his nod and headed for the door.

-

Aloy rode through the better part of the night, stubbornly forcing herself to suppress the lingering memories of her… encounter with Teb at least while she was riding to keep her concentration on what she was doing. As much as she enjoyed the feeling of hooves pounding on the ground under her as her mount ran in full gallop through the rising darkness in the desert, that warm glow inside her urged her back to Meridian, back to Teb, and Aloy had to actively fight it down.

She rode her Strider to the northwest, following the river for a few hours before making her way through the steep slopes of mesas around her, the earth’s usually rich shades of reds and browns tinted blue by the light of the moon. Aloy hoped to reach the Glinthawk site by next afternoon, planning to use the rising mist and darkness to avoid getting seen while she was hunting since tall grass only grew in occasional, thin patches this far in the desert.

By morning, Aloy made a stop and used her mount to set up a tent by draping a few blankets over the resting machine to provide her some shade to sleep under. She lay down on her furs, staring up at the woven pattern of her makeshift tent, trying to catch some sleep. She found that she couldn’t and groaned with frustration, rolling to her side towards the machine that was sitting next to her to support the blanket.

The memories of last evening kept haunting Aloy, but not in an unpleasant way, reminding her constantly of Teb’s gentle touch, the way his hands had trembled when she had opened her tunic for him to expose her neck and the feeling of his fever-hot tongue tracing wet paths over her naked shoulder. Her memories were mingling with Avad’s words, causing her to feel confused and dizzy at the same time.

Did they really look like a couple?

Aloy knew it must have looked like it, and she felt that Avad was not wrong, but she’d never spoken about their… relationship with Teb, after all. It had never been necessary to frame their ever growing closeness into words, simple touches and shared breath enough to let the other know just how much she enjoyed Teb’s company. Only recently they had begun to talk about these matters every now and then, like when Aloy had asked Teb to show her how a deep kiss worked, but never about how their closeness had come to happen, or where exactly it was going.

At the thought, Aloy’s core flared up with heat, making her blink.

Aloy had a vague idea of how couples should behave at some point, mostly shaped by occasionally catching glimpses of pairs or overhearing people telling others about their liaisons, but she had never come to actually think about how those relationships were formed, or how agreements were made. Aloy also knew what usually happened between two people that cared about each other a lot and that had grown close enough to kiss, knew about the whole concept of undressing each other and lying down together. Aloy understood the mechanism behind it necessary to create children, but had never cared to think about it long enough to understand just why people considered sex such an important thing to do.

The heated, coiled flutter inside her told Aloy that if it was anything like the sensations she’d experienced when letting Teb kiss her neck, there was at least some appeal to it. _Quite a lot, actually_ , Aloy mused when her hand travelled down her neck, touching the small bruises Teb’s lips had left on her clavicles, imagining how it had felt when his mouth had gently sucked those marks into her skin.

She frowned, staring into her reflection in the polished, smooth flank of the Strider next to her. She felt very warm, not only because of the desert sun heating up her small tent, so she sat up and took off her tunic so that her upper body was naked. Again, Aloy’s eyes found her own reflection in the steel flank of the Strider, and she caught herself taking in her slender, athletic form.

Would Teb like to see her like this…?

Aloy blushed, shocked at her own thoughts for a moment, but after recoiling from them she allowed them to linger, turning them over in her mind.

She assumed that apparently, the thoughts she had about Teb, the warmth she felt when they were close, had at least something to do with this issue. Aloy had no experiences with sexual matters whatsoever, but she was still able to draw conclusions, and the past weeks and their new approach had encouraged her to put two and two together. What she had experienced seemed to be some kind of desire for more than kisses, like she had almost come to share with Teb when he was licking down her neck.

 _What would have happened if we hadn’t gotten interrupted…?_ Aloy asked herself, frowning at the surge of heat pooling in her stomach.

The answer was that she didn’t know. She didn’t know if she would have encouraged Teb to initiate _more_ , allowing him to undress her even further. Before getting to know him better Aloy had always felt something between mild repulsion and indifference towards the concept of sex, confused by the sheer importance it had in most peoples’ lives and unwilling to even think about why they cared about it so much. The memory of this indifference warred with her newly developed desire to get closer to Teb, but that didn’t change the fact that Aloy had no idea how exactly it worked, what to do and when, and her fear of first allowing Teb to cross that line and then doing something wrong or finding out that she didn’t like it at all was gnawing painfully at her heart.

Annoyed by all the _what-ifs_ , Aloy tilted her head and canted her shoulders to look at herself from a different angle. She knew most Nora men seemed to prefer more curvy women with large breasts and wide hips, at least telling by what she had overheard drunken Braves and warriors brag about, while she was rather slim built, with small, but firm breasts and pronounced abdominal muscles.

Deep down she knew Teb would accept her just the way she was, but she couldn’t be sure how he would react to her, what it would make him do, and if she would appreciate it.

 _Teb would never do anything I don’t want, I should know that_ , Aloy chided herself, but that thought still didn’t help to chase away the fear that even if she allowed more to happen, she’d regret it afterwards, or disappoint Teb in some way, driving them apart after learning just how much his companionship meant to her. Still, a part of Aloy urged her on to give it a try, that curiosity to learn how it felt to let go of every boundary and give her entire self to Teb in exchange for everything he could give growing too strong and too bright to ignore it anymore. It was Teb, after all, and every touch, every sensual act she had come to exchange with him had turned out to be beautiful and nothing but pleasant, but Aloy had no idea if she could muster the courage to ignore her own mind.

Groaning in the heat, Aloy forced her eyes closed and her thoughts to shut up, trying to finally get some rest. She knew she would need it before the long ride if she wanted to reach the Glinthawk site by nightfall.

After a few hours of tossing and turning, Aloy gave up and mounted her Strider again, riding towards the northwest to finally hunt, drowning out her mind in the exhaustion.


	15. Chapter 15

XV.

Aloy strapped her prey to the flank of her Strider, smiling to herself in satisfaction. She’d managed to hunt down ten Glinthawks over the course of the night without getting injured, assembling a harvest of six lenses, four hearts and nine wings folded neatly in two piles. It was early morning when she mounted her machine, determined to manage to get some distance between her and the Glinthawk site before Scrappers discovered the carcasses and the sun made it too hot to ride. The morning mist rose above the sand when the sun crept as a red fireball above the horizon, a convoy of Shellwalkers crawling along a ridge as grey silhouettes in the distance. Aloy passed them without eliciting aggressive behavior, moving around a high mesa under the soaring shape of a Stormbird high up, deciding she already had enough loot to carry.

By afternoon Aloy made a stop to eat and sleep, curling up under a blanket draped over her mount. When she woke up again the sun was about to sink and the heat of the day gave way to a stellar sky, promising a cold night. Aloy made sure to change her clothes so she wouldn’t catch a cold as soon as the sun disappeared, her undergarments soaked in sweat after the ride through the desert. Dressed in fresh clothes, she rode through the better part of the night, stopping only for a short rest as her mount accidentally ran over a rabbit and she decided to skin and roast it on a campfire. By noon on the following day Aloy could see the towers of Meridian peeking through the mist rising above the river, the vast green canopy of the jungle visible at the bottom of the plane she was moving down. She was confident to make it back by afternoon.

She’d never been this excited to come back to Teb.

After staying with him for the past weeks after they returned from the Embrace Aloy had felt almost pained to part from his side for several days, and coming back now filled her with an exhilaration that both surprised her and made her insides hum with anticipation. Before Aloy crossed the border to the Carja Heartland, she made a stop at the river, quickly making sure the area was empty but for a herd of Broadheads. Aloy walked to the shore, stripped down entirely and took a long bath in the water, washing the salt and sand from her skin with the soap she’d borrowed from Teb. Afterwards she also rubbed the sweet-scented foam into her hair and washed it as well as she could. She knew that there always was a soft tangy scent of sweat and earth clinging to her, but she still was determined to at least wash the dirt from her body to not smell like a dead Snapmaw when she got back to Teb after days of hunting.

When Aloy was fully clean, she changed into her last set of fresh undergarments and got back on her Strider. As she had hoped, by afternoon she rode over the bridge to Meridian, the excitement in her growing with every step the machine took. She placed her machine on the edge of the terrace so it couldn’t get in trouble with any citizens and shouldered the packs of metal, carrying them to the stairs leading up to her home.

The door was unlocked in anticipation of her return, Aloy realized with a smile on her face. She entered the workshop, breathing in the familiar scent of beeswax and leather. Subtle changes in the positions of boxes and progress on unfinished garments told her that Teb had been very busy during her absence. Teb was nowhere to be seen, though, and Aloy dropped her loot on an empty workbench. After that she shed all parts of her armor and piled them neatly on a shelf, knowing that Teb didn’t like it when they lay around on the floor and wanting to spare him the work of tidying up after her. She stripped her attire until she was only wearing her light undergarments, glad to be rid of all the layers of fur and leather after the long journey.

Something caught Aloy’s eye when she made to turn around, causing her to look closer at the workbench. There was a pile of parchments, not covered in charcoal lines but in colors instead. Aloy carefully picked up a sheet and looked it over. It showed a detailed drawing of a Carja dress with Nora decorations, rich in color and shaded intricately, reds and blues showing the merged ornamentation of the Sundom and the Sacred Land. It was absolutely gorgeous and Aloy stared at it for a long moment, her heart beating faster as she realized that Teb had made the drawing with the Banuk pigment sticks she had given to him.

She placed the drawing down and took a look at the other parchments next to the open box of pigments, colorful illustrations of sleeves, patterns and armor parts that Teb planned to create. She leafed through the sheets, filled with a deep sensation of pride that Teb put her gift to such a good use and admiration of his skills.

Aloy forgot to breathe when she suddenly discovered a drawing that did not show a dress or shoulder plates, but a face, young and feminine, with expressive hazel eyes under stern eyebrows and freckles and burning red hair that splayed over her shoulders in a flowing, unruly mane, looking ahead with a fierce expression.

Teb had drawn a portrait of her, Aloy realized, blinking incredulously at the drawing of herself. The Aloy on the parchment was smiling, she realized, and something about it made her chest clench with a mixture of pain and joy.

She gently put the portrait down and turned her head to the other half of the small apartment they shared, bathed in the amber light of the sinking sun and illuminated by a few lanterns set up by Teb. She moved around a curtain past the balcony until she reached the corner with their bed.

“Hey, Aloy,” Teb greeted her when she came around the corner, a wide, relieved smile on her face as he looked her over and didn’t see any injuries. Teb was sitting on the bed, dressed in his customary sleeveless tunic and soft pants, barefoot with a cup of tea and a plate on a table next to him. When she came closer he crawled to the edge of the bed and kneeled, spreading his arms.

Aloy felt herself grin, unable to stop it. “Hello, Teb. Good to be back.”

She hugged him, bathing in his comforting, subtle scent and feeling a pleasant shiver running down her spine when he wrapped her in his arms.

“You must be hungry. Come here and get some rest, I’ve made nut bread for you.”

Something inside Aloy’s chest was so tense it almost hurt, but it was a sweet pain. She sat down next to Teb on the soft mattress, reeling from just how happy she was to see him. Sighing comfortably as the exhaustion from the ride finally started to wear off, she scooted up to his side and accepted the slice of nut bread he handed her. Teb smiled when she eagerly dug into her favorite food, drinking his tea as he watched her finish her meal.

“Did everything go as planned?” Teb asked casually between two sips of tea.

Aloy nodded. “I have more Glinthawk parts for you than you’ll need. No accidents, no injuries. And no Thunderjaws, luckily,” she joked, grinning lopsidedly when Teb laughed. “How about you?”

“I’ve been working a lot. No injuries here either,” Teb joked back. “Oh, and I absolutely love the crayons you gave me, Aloy. It helps a lot being able to plan color arrangements before starting to work on the garments. Thank you.”

Aloy returned his gentle smile with a nod, remembering the drawing of herself she’d found. That sweet ache inside her chest intensified when she saw his smile, and before she could think she opened her mouth to speak.

“Teb, I… You’ve drawn a picture of me. I didn’t know you could to that. It’s… it’s very beautiful,” she said quietly, not sure how to express what she had felt when discovering it and how it added up to her endless joy to be back with him, sitting comfortably with him on the bed they shared, just the two of them as if they were the only people in the world.

Teb’s eyes widened and he blushed, staring at his hands folded in his lap.

“Oh, you’ve seen that…? I… You were not supposed to…”

Teb sighed, taking a deep breath. He looked up again. “I was missing you, Aloy. So very much. I hope it is alright with you.”

Aloy returned his gaze, clenching her fists unconsciously. “It’s fine. I like it. And I missed you too, Teb. A lot.”

Teb’s eyes were locked with hers and she felt like she was getting lost in that deep green, but at some point she must have closed her eyes after all because suddenly, she was kissing him. Teb’s warm, soft lips were gently pressing against hers, a slight cant of his head asking her to deepen the kiss. Aloy complied willingly, feeling Teb shuffle closer as they wrapped the other in their arms.

They kissed for a long moment until Aloy suddenly felt Teb shifting his position from kneeling to sitting cross-legged, something he often did when their kisses got more intense for reasons she couldn’t name, but all the while never breaking their kiss.

“That doesn’t look very comfortable,” she muttered quietly against his lips, having to shift forward to be able to still reach Teb with his legs drawn up like a defensive wall. Teb huffed, his blush deepening.

“I… It is, believe me.”

Aloy frowned for a moment but then accepted it, leaning over his pulled-up knees to cup his face in her hands, kissing him once more. Teb took her in as well as he could, gently raking his fingers through Aloy’s hair and smiling against her lips when she groaned quietly with pleasure. She returned that touch by running her fingers over Teb’s ears and his temples, pleased when he rewarded her with a soft moan that tickled warmly against her lips. Aloy continued her caresses, savoring Teb’s soft sounds of pleasure when she touched those spots she had learned he liked a lot. Some corner of her mind remembered how wonderful it had felt when Teb had kissed her neck, traced the lines of her collarbone with his tongue, and somehow his soft noises made Aloy retreat from his mouth, letting her lips wander over his cheek with small kisses until she reached his right ear.

When Aloy kissed Teb’s ear he responded with a shudder and a soft moan, his hand that had been caressing up and down Aloy’s arm clenching into the cloth of her tunic. Encouraged, Aloy kissed the shell of his ear again, rewarded with another sound of pleasure that made her glance at his face. Teb’s eyebrows were peaking in a mixture of bliss and frustration, his lips slightly parted. Seeing him letting out another quiet moan of pleasure after pressing her lips to his ear caused that surge of heat to erupt in Aloy’s stomach, pooling somewhere lower, deeper, urging her on.

Teb’s reaction when Aloy not kissed, but _licked_ his ear sounded almost desperate, a broken moan that fuelled the pulsing, dizzying sensation she felt, drowning out her mind, her world shrinking down to the way Teb shuddered when she dragged her tongue over the soft ridge of his ear.

“Aloy…” Teb all but breathed, his voice breaking when he groaned quietly, and Aloy kept going, fascinated by what it did to him, the power she had and how _good_ it felt using it, the heat inside her too bright to do anything but give it to it. She gently ran the tip of her tongue over his ear, breathed against his skin, basking in his pleasure. Teb all but slumped boneless against Aloy, lost in her caresses.

“Is that good?” Aloy whispered into his ear, grinning when it elicited another groan of pleasure from him, his hands clutching onto her helplessly.

“Uh-huh… Oh, Aloy…” Teb choked out, moaned softly again, pressing into her caress. “A little too good, maybe…”

He sounded worried, causing Aloy to pause for a heartbeat. How could something he enjoyed this obviously feel too good? It didn’t mean she was supposed to stop, was she?

Chalking it up to a compliment, Aloy kept going, hungry to hear those moans of pleasure from him, feeling him tremble under her touch. She went a step further and gently bit down into the soft shell of Teb’s ear, and this was what finally broke the dam.

Teb let out a quiet, choked cry, her name a breathless whisper on his lips that Aloy caught with her mouth, kissing him deeply. She pulled him against her, too desperate for the contact and finally annoyed with his cross-legged position so she tugged at his shoulders until Teb tipped over and was forced to stretch out his legs again to slump to the side with Aloy pressing against him. Teb complied, returning her kiss with abandon as he lay down together with her.

Time violently staggered to a stop when Aloy suddenly felt something hard pressing against her hipbone, not Teb’s knee and certainly not his elbow. She opened hazy eyes and looked down his body aligned with hers, realizing just _how_ he reacted to her presence.

“Teb…?”

With sudden panic rising in her, Aloy flinched away from Teb, struggling to bring some distance between them. Her mind was racing after the blissful emptiness she had experienced before, thoughts swirling around others and questions – did it mean she now had to…? She wasn’t ready yet, was she…?

In the same moment she had defensively flinched away from Teb he had realized what Aloy had noticed happening to him and reached out to her, eyes wide.

“Aloy, no… I’m sorry, please, stay calm,” he said quietly, the panic in Aloy mirrored in his worried expression.

“Teb, what…” she exclaimed out of breath, her heart racing painfully. “Does it mean you want me to…?”

Aloy couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, everything in her lost in confusion, until Teb leaned over.

He gently pressed his lips against her forehead. The soft, chaste gesture Aloy had come to enjoy so much managed to stop her thoughts for a moment and she fell silent, holding still until Teb pulled back enough so he could see her.

“It’s alright, Aloy,” he said. “Wait a moment.”

Aloy watched as Teb shifted until he half lay and half sat back, supported against some pillows, and draped a blanket over his legs up to his stomach, then pulled his legs up so that his hip area was entirely hidden. He lifted an arm and gently beckoned Aloy closer, an apologetic smile on his lips.

“Aloy, I’m very sorry you got taken aback by seeing… you know. But… This is an issue we have avoided for a long while now, and it’s time to talk about it, don’t you think?”

Aloy felt herself coming back to her senses, calmed by Teb’s immediate retreat upon sensing her insecurity. She took a deep breath, realizing that he was right.

“Just talk?” she asked, just to reassure herself.

“Just talk,” Teb promised, shooting her a gentle, adoring smile that finally convinced her to scoot back into his arms, settling down by his side so she was half lying on his shoulder and half turned so she could face him.

They lay there for a moment, Teb allowing Aloy to gradually calm down, until Aloy took in a deep breath. She remembered the times she had been talking to Teb about issues of that nature and decided that he had proved on more than one occasion that he deserved her trust.

“Teb, does _this_ …” Aloy began, gesturing to his covered abdomen. “… mean you want to… you know, share a bed with me, in that other way than sleeping?”

Teb huffed out a soft laugh that made Aloy smile carefully. “No, it doesn’t. At least not directly. It’s something I can’t control, very much like you can’t control your blush,” he said, reaching up to gently run a finger down Aloy’s warm cheek, then continued.

“It’s a part of me that reacts almost with a mind of its own, Aloy, and that my body responds to your presence like this only means I feel very comfortable and trusted around you. That I find you very beautiful and enjoy your touch. If anything, you should take it as a compliment. Nothing else.”

Aloy took in his words, nodding as she turned them over. “Sounds like you’ve had this issue with me before, Teb.”

Now it was Teb’s turn to blush. “I admit I have.”

Aloy raised an eyebrow. “More than once?”

Teb looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath.

“Almost every day,” he admitted quietly.

Aloy blinked, her words stuck in her throat. So Teb and his body had been craving for her touch for a long time, and he’d always hidden it, careful never to let her notice to avoid unsettling her. Her heart beat faster as her chest hurt at the same time, and a deep, humbling sense of thankfulness filled her.

“Teb… I… I’ve never made any experiences with this before,” Aloy said quietly. Teb turned his head until he was looking at her, smiling gently.

“You mean with sex?”

Aloy flinched and blinked at Teb’s candor, saying the word she’d been avoiding without shame or hesitance in his voice. She returned his gaze, noticing his flushed cheeks but otherwise open expression.

“… Yes. That,” she said, smirking when Teb let out a soft laugh. The mere thought of talking about this was still somewhat unfamiliar to her, but Aloy realized that it didn’t make her as uncomfortable as she thought it would, because it was Teb she was talking to.

“I know, Aloy. That’s why I tried to hide my body’s reaction as long as I could, knowing you weren’t too fond of intimate contact. I… apologize for scaring you,” Teb said.

Aloy huffed. “Was it that obvious I was inexperienced?” she wanted to know, suddenly feeling ashamed of her shocked reaction when realizing Teb’s arousal, especially when he wasn’t even to blame for it.

Teb simply laughed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Well, you’ve grown up secluded from the tribe, and after finally meeting new people you were tasked with saving the world, which is a pretty good excuse for you not having the time to really getting to know and like anyone, Aloy. Also, I’ve seen how rudely many suitors approach you, and I can fully understand why you never gave in to their advances.”

Aloy nodded, once more touched by Teb’s gentle understanding.

“I admit I like this a lot,” Aloy said, taking Teb’s free hand in hers and looking at how their fingers entwined. “Being close to you, Teb. But I don’t know how it is when… you know, more happens. And if I would like it. How… how does it feel?”

Teb raised his eyebrows a little when she turned to look at him, seemingly caught off guard by her question.

“Aloy, I’m afraid there’s no simple answer to that,” he replied with a gentle smile, squeezing her hand. “It’s different for everybody. There are couples that prefer sex to be quick and wild, others like it to be slow and take their time, spending hours together. There’s some that dominate their female partner and others preferring the girl to be in charge, and sometimes men fall for other men and girls for other girls, and they have their own ways.”

Aloy nodded, letting Teb’s words sink in. “So… if I wanted, in theory, to have sex with you…” she began, proud she managed to say the word without quavering, but then stopped, not sure how to finish her phrase.

“… it would be just like we want it to be, Aloy. What we make of it. It’s about pleasing the other, after all, and nothing else. And we can talk about whatever you have question about before anything happens,” Teb finished for her. Something in his expression made Aloy smile, and she leaned in. They exchanged a kiss, long and chaste, before looking at each other again.

“Teb… I assume you’ve already made some experiences?” Aloy finally dared to ask, encouraged by Teb’s obvious willingness to be open about this matter in all ways possible.

To her surprise, he blushed, turning his gaze to his knees.

“You know, Aloy, there are people who treat sex like a fun activity, picking partners only for a shared night, without really taking the time to get to know them. And there’s people who believe that there is a difference between having sex with somebody just for fun, once and never again, and someone special you really, really care for, and that it feels endlessly better and more intense the closer you are to that person,” he said quietly. “Very much like the difference between training with blunted spears, and actually going out to hunt in the wilds, the real exhilaration. The first thing doesn’t remotely compare to the other.”

“Teb, that doesn’t answer my question,” Aloy replied, already having a vague notion where he was going with his words that made her heart beat faster.

He looked at her for a moment, blushing again. “I… I firmly believe the latter, Aloy.”

Aloy was about to ask him what he meant, but then she caught a glimpse of Teb’s face before he could turn his head away again, and there it was, everything he didn’t want to say radiating from his deep, green eyes.

He had been having encounters over the years, with other girls he barely knew and barely cared about, just for fun, but mostly…

Teb had been gathering experiences, practicing, to prepare himself to be able to please somebody he really cared for. For Aloy, and her alone, always waiting for her to be ready one day.

It was all there in his gaze before he blushed and stared at his knees, blinking as if he was ashamed, aware that she understood.

“Teb…” Aloy said quietly. She waited for him to slightly, shyly turn his head back until she could see his eyes. “So you… you would sleep with me, if I wanted to?”

Teb nodded, but still there was something caring behind the obvious desire in his gaze. “I would like nothing more, Aloy. But please, I want you to understand that it’s nothing I ask of you if you don’t want it with all your heart. If you say no to this I won’t ever bring it up again. Alright?”

Something inside Aloy’s chest ruptured, and before she could stop herself the words tumbled out of her mouth, the fear that had been haunting her for so long.

“What if I don’t like it? Won’t you be disappointed?”

Teb laughed, very softly, surprising her once more.

“Oh, Aloy. I won’t be disappointed. I enjoy just being around you, your presence, your voice. Everything else is a bonus. I’m happy just to know you. Sex isn’t an obligation for me to be happy. Your company is all I need,” he finished softly, reaching over to take her hand in his again. He gently pressed his lips to it, holding her incredulous gaze.

Aloy didn’t trust her voice, so she leaned in and caught his mouth with hers. Teb hummed into the kiss, deepening it carefully when Aloy brushed her tongue against his lips.

“See, your kisses alone are so good they already make me feel like I’m dreaming,” Teb chuckled against Aloy’s lips, making her smile.

“Now you’re lying. You’ve kissed so many other girls before, some of them must have been better than me,” Aloy teased to regain some footing, nipping playfully at his lips.

“No, you’re by far the best,” Teb insisted. “It’s always been nice with most others, don’t get me wrong. I’ve kissed a few girls, a guy even, but it’s all nothing compared to you, Aloy.”

Aloy pulled back, raising an eyebrow at him. “You’ve kissed a man?”

Teb chuckled. “Yes, so what? I’m afraid it wasn’t his intention, though. We were both slightly drunk, he was a lot taller, it was dark, and I guess he thought going by my height and waist that I was a girl until I turned out to not have breasts and he heard my voice. It was quite nice, though.”

Aloy laughed at Teb’s easy tone, reassured in her trust in him. “Good to hear I kiss better than a random drunk man during a feasting night.”

“It’s still a compliment,” Teb replied grinning, and they kissed again. After a long moment, Aloy felt herself relaxing. As tense as she had been after suddenly realizing just what she did to Teb and why, she felt that a lot of the mental burden she’d been carrying around with her had been lifted, replaced by a warm, humming sensation of closeness to him. The desire to finally give in to that curiosity was filling every inch of her body and before Aloy’s thoughts could chime in to stop her, she placed a palm on Teb’s cheek.

 “Teb, I think… I think I would like to try sleeping with you, but I still don’t know how exactly it works. What to do, and what it feels like. And whether I like it.”

“So you’ve never felt it before?” Teb asked gently, making Aloy frown in confusion.

“I told you I never cared to find a partner, didn’t I?”

Teb laughed softly. “I know. I meant… Have you never touched your own body, to give yourself pleasure?”

Now it was Aloy’s turn to lift her eyebrows, once more both thrown out of balance by his candor and amazed at his willingness to be open about anything, no matter how intimate it was.

“I thought only men did that,” Aloy replied carefully, vaguely aware of the concept of men touching themselves if no willing female was around. Teb laughed again.

“Oh no, girls can do that too. But by your reply I can tell that you never did. That’s fine, Aloy, really. There’s no schedule to this, no right or wrong. All that matters is that it feels good.”

Teb took both her hands in his, holding them against his chest. His deep green eyes found hers, something so private and so intense in them that Aloy forgot to breathe.

“Aloy… If you’re really willing to share your first time with me, I promise you that everything that happens between us will be something we both enjoy. I promise not to do anything you don’t like. We can always stop, at any point. Just let me know. I won’t hold a grudge, I swear. Just being close to you means the world to me,” Teb said quietly, his hands warm and firm around Aloy’s, like a physical prove that he meant what he said, with all his heart.

Aloy took a deep breath, allowing her mind to settle down, and suddenly answering was so very easy.

“… Alright. I want to try it.”

Teb’s eyes were dark as the night sky, but he still searched her face, staring deeply into her eyes to see if she meant it.

“ _Yes_ , Teb, I’m sure,” Aloy said with a lopsided smirk, despite her blush, before Teb could ask her about it.

Teb chuckled softly. “Okay. You have no idea how happy you make me with that, Aloy. But...”

He looked insecure all of a sudden, causing Aloy to tilt her head, searching his expression like he did before.

“But what?”

“It’s because… because of Nora tradition. The High Matriarchs value the first intimate encounter of girls something incredibly sacred. They encourage young women with admirable hunting and fighting skills to pick partners of equal strength and prowess. And I am not… you know. Like you. An experienced warrior. Are you sure you want to share this with _me_ , of all people?” Teb asked eventually.

Aloy simply laughed, causing him to blink.

“Teb, by now you should know my attitude towards those gridlocked Nora rules,” she said and cupped his cheek with her palm, her thumb rubbing gently over his lips. “I’m picking you, Teb. You and nobody else.”

Teb’s eyes shone with devotion. “… Alright.”

He leaned in and kissed her, humming against Aloy’s lips when she took him in, brushing her tongue against his. Teb didn’t resist when Aloy pulled at his shoulders until he was unfolding his legs from his curled position, shifting until they were both leaning against a row of pillows, bodies aligned.

During their kiss, the blanket slid from Teb’s knees, causing Aloy to freeze for a moment, peeking down Teb’s stomach to see if he still was responding to her closeness like he did before. He didn’t, she noticed, the former striking bulge from before gone. Teb grinned against her lips, apparently having noticed what Aloy had been looking for.

“That part of me loses interest during long talks,” he joked, making Aloy smile. He gently pulled her closer to kiss her again, his hands finding their way into her hair. Aloy hummed with pleasure and rubbed a palm over his ear.

Teb moaned softly against her mouth at her touch.

“You do know what you’re going to cause with that, right…?” he whispered, his eyes finding hers. Aloy nodded. She still wasn’t quite sure what to expect, what to do and when, but deep inside she was willing to let go of her urge to be in control all the time and simply trust Teb, allowing him to guide her, knowing that she could always ask for a break.

Their kiss felt too familiar and too good to stop it, though, so Aloy allowed herself to savor it for a long moment to let that pleasant dizziness fill every inch of her body. She kept caressing Teb to elicit those soft, longing sounds from him, after a moment getting bold enough to let her lips wander to his temple. She gently ran first her tongue, then her teeth over the soft shell of his ear, this time knowing how he would respond, curious to see what else she could do.

It took Teb a surprisingly short moment of squirming and soft moans until Aloy felt his arousal pressing against her hip. She flinched a little when seeing it, feeling her cheeks warming up, but tried her best to accept his body’s reaction.

 _Take it as a compliment_ , her thoughts reminded her, and she grinned when Teb laughed softly against her cheek where he had been pressing gentle kisses.

“You’re too good at that,” he murmured, an adoring smile on his face. Aloy mirrored his laugh, caught it with her mouth, kissing him on the lips once more. As much as she enjoyed it, part of her was still insisting on asking her what to do after that, when they would get to those… more mechanic aspects of the act, things fitting into other things, and if she felt ready.

As usual, Teb seemed to sense Aloy’s thoughts. He stopped, one hand gently caressing up and down her waist, his gaze locked with hers as if he was encouraging her to ask him.

“When are we getting to the core of it…?” Aloy ventured carefully, knowing that she could ask him without offending him or risking to be looked down at for her inexperience.

Teb chuckled. “Whenever we want. Small steps, Aloy, like I promised. Actually, this is already most of what sex is about, exchanging touches to please the other. Later it involves less clothing, that’s pretty much the only difference.”

Aloy nodded slowly. Her eyes wandered down Teb’s body seemingly out of their own will, and she remembered all those nights her hands had been roaming over the solid planes and trim curves of his muscles, imagining how they would feel without cloth covering them.

Teb didn’t say anything when he noticed where her gaze was moving. He simply sat up until he was kneeling in front of Aloy, and grabbed the hem of his tunic. When he made to lift it up Aloy caught herself licking her suddenly very dry lips. Teb stopped, letting the hem drop.

The gentle nod and a subtle gesture were enough for Aloy to understand what he encouraged her to do. What he _allowed_ her to do. She sat up as well, shuffling over until their knees were touching, and took the hem of Teb’s tunic. Determined, her heart beating faster, Aloy pulled it up over his head and tossed it aside. His eyes never left her face when she was taking in his naked upper body, she noticed vaguely, feeling that heat pooling in her stomach, moving lower the longer she looked.

Teb shaved not only his face, but also his chest, Aloy noticed when she took in his form. He was not as sturdy-built as most Braves, but still lean and well muscled, that same slightly feminine, athletic shape she had come to admire so much, not only because it reminded her of herself. He had very little, light-colored body hair, forming a thin trail down from his navel, disappearing behind the waistband of his pants, the bulge of his growing arousal stretching the cloth. The sight made Aloy swallow heavily and she felt her hands clenching the soft sheets they were both sitting on. She lifted a hand.

“May I…?” she began even if she knew it wasn’t necessary to ask, but she felt it was only fair to return his gentle understanding with equal empathy.

“You may touch me wherever you want, Aloy. I’m all yours,” Teb replied very quietly, his usually so soft voice surprisingly rough ever since Aloy had seen his naked upper body.

Aloy finally pressed her hand against Teb’s chest, her first impulse urging her to feel for his heartbeat. His skin was smooth and warm, even softer around the pronounced pairs of abdominal muscles and unmarred by scars when she let her palm wander around his slim waist to his back, lines and edges of muscles and bones fascinating to touch. Aloy pressed closer to Teb to kiss him until they both lay on their sides supported against the pillows, feeling his body heat radiating from his exposed skin. She moaned softly against his mouth when she felt his hands pulling her in, causing the tip of his erection to press against her stomach. Teb almost whined at the contact, and Aloy bit her lip, experimentally rolling her hips forward to let his arousal rub against her stomach again. It elicited another desperate little moan from Teb, a sound Aloy decided was sweeter than anything she had ever heard.

Her palms wandered over his body, exploring every inch of his soft, warm skin. Sometimes she looked, watched her fingers splay over his muscles, sometimes she closed her eyes and just kissed him with blissful little whimpers escaping her at the onslaught of sensations, feeling instead of seeing. Aloy felt her touch getting drawn towards Teb’s hips for some reason until she allowed them to play with the waistband of his pants.

It earner her another one of those deep, intense looks, adorned by a careful smile that made her cheeks warm up even more. Teb searched Aloy’s face for a moment and seemed to find what he was looking for, then laid back a little and opened the ties that fastened his pants. He undid them slowly and pushed his last piece of clothing down until he was completely naked.

Aloy felt her own breathing getting heavier when she looked him over, vaguely aware of her curious stare. Teb was stretched out in front of her, entirely exposed, but there was no hint of shame in his eyes when Aloy looked at his naked body. His blush had deepened, creeping slowly over his neck and chest, but the hint of a smile played around his lips. It was the first time Aloy saw a naked man for a longer moment other than some person coming back from taking a bath, and certainly the first time she saw someone in this state of arousal. Teb’s length was pink and hard against his stomach, a sight that made her feel somewhere between mildly shocked at the size compared to its normal state, and strangely enticed, that heat down in her core finally reaching a point that made her approach him until she was half sitting, half lying by his side, reaching out to touch him. Aloy shot Teb another glance and only found gentle consent, then gave in to the urge.

Aloy brushed her palm along Teb’s legs first, smiling at the thin coat of hair tickling her skin. She ran her hand over the curve of his calves and his taut thighs, reaching the sharp jut of his hipbone. When she slowly explored the relief of his skin, it didn’t feel like she was violating his privacy, or like Teb was feeling exposed to her. It felt wonderful, a physical prove of Teb’s trust, giving up all his boundaries as he allowed her to finally get as familiar with the shapes of his body as she was familiar with his mind.

When Aloy reached his lower abdomen, Teb inhaled a little sharper than before, his pupils blown. Before her thoughts could stop her, Aloy bit her lip and gently ran her fingers up his shaft.

“Your skin is so soft,” she remarked, shocked at the warmth of his erection and the smooth, flawless skin. Teb laughed softly at her surprised expression, a warm smile stretching his mouth.

“Yeah, it is,” he grinned, his eyes sparkling with mirth. His chuckle stopped abruptly and he tipped his head back, a sudden groan escaping him when Aloy wrapped her fingers around his length and gave it a gentle stroke. She raised her eyebrows, intrigued by what it did to him and how strong his response was, even stronger than when she licked his ear. She allowed her fingertips to circle over the moist tip, drawing another moan from Teb’s lips.

She decided that so far, she liked this a lot.

Aloy continued her caresses for a moment, intrigued by the effect her touch had on him, until Teb gently took her hand and beckoned her over to kiss her. She realized that his breathing had changed, quicker and heavier, and his lips felt hot and hungry when he pulled her closer and slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Aloy willingly allowed him in, still reeling from the memory of the sounds he made when she touched his arousal. Teb seemed heated, his movements clumsier than before. He was still gentle and careful, but his hands kept tugging and pushing at the cloth of her tunic when she pressed close against his naked chest. Suddenly the layers Aloy wore felt _wrong_ , keeping his warmth and the smooth feel of his body from her, and before she even knew she started to pull up the hem of her tunic.

Teb realized what she was doing and withdrew enough to see her, desire flaring up in his eyes, but still holding himself back. He watched as Aloy shifted into a kneeling position, holding Teb’s gaze, and slowly stripped her tunic.

Teb’s eyes remained locked with hers for a long moment, his accelerated breathing obvious in the rise and fall of his chest. When Aloy shot him a half shy, half playful smirk, followed by an encouraging nod, he finally let his eyes wander lower.

Aloy bit her lip, that dizzying sensation of heat pulsing deep in her core intensifying when she watched the change in Teb’s expression, minuscule but still there, a mixture of awe and desire flickering over his face as he took in her naked arms, breasts and stomach, her red hair flowing over her shoulders.

“You are so beautiful, Aloy…” Teb muttered, his eyes flicking up to hers once more, mirroring her smile, then back to her naked upper body. Aloy wasn’t sure who of them had moved but suddenly they were pressed against each other, skin on skin without anything between them. She’d been nestling close to Teb countless times before, but this was different. She was aware of every single inch of their bodies touching, the prickly hair on Teb’s stomach and his arms as he looped them around her to hold her close, her breasts pressing against his warm chest and his sharp inhale at the contact, his incredulous blink when Aloy took his hand and pushed it to her collarbone. Teb’s palm slowly wandered lower until he reached her breast, cupping the smooth skin with a gentleness that made Aloy inhale sharply and moan when he gently massaged the supple, firm shape. Teb was touching her body with an adoration that verged on the border of worship, as if he was thankful for every heartbeat they shared. His mouth caught hers in a biting kiss and she moaned against his lips when his thumb rubbed over her nipple, a sudden tension in them making the caress almost painful in the sweetest way possible. Teb’s other hand moved to her back, stroking up and down the curve of it, lingering over every single scar battles had left on her skin as if he was trying to soothe them with his gentle touch no matter how old they were.

While they kissed, exploring the shapes of each other, Aloy felt her mind gradually getting drowned in that warm haze that made breathing harder and her vision blurry, a sweet ache that urged her to get closer than physically possible. Aloy arched and rubbed against Teb, basking in his soft moans when the warm tip of his erection grazed over her flat stomach, letting out gasps of pleasure when Teb’s fingers gently pinched her nipples, grazed though her hair or nipped at her lip.

She got reminded that she still wore pants when Teb hooked a thumb under the waistband, nothing more, just a simple gesture quietly asking her if she was ready to undress fully.

Aloy’s eyes found his, just as dark and hazy as hers. There was no hesitation left in her, nothing holding her back from allowing Teb to see every part of her body after experiencing how wonderful it felt to press against his naked skin. Aloy undid the ties of her pants and slowly pushed them down, wiggling her legs until she was fully naked as well, baring herself to a man for the first time in her life.

Aloy smiled at Teb’s infatuated expression, a subtle shudder running through him when his eyes wandered over her long, slender legs, the elegant curve of her hips and the small tuft of reddish curls in her lap. His devotion was humbling, his gorgeous green eyes taking in her form with hunger as well as something close to awe. She noticed Teb’s eyes blinking for just a moment when he looked at her loins. Aloy tilted her head, shooting him an amused smile.

“Something wrong?”

Teb’s eyes jerked back to her face and he blushed, smiling coyly.

“No, no. It’s all… it’s all perfect. I just… never saw that color there before. You are gorgeous, Aloy,” he hurried to say, pulling her closer with shaking hands. They kissed again, hands roaming over the other’s skin, but this time Teb’s hands slowly scooted lower and lower down to the small of Aloy’s back. Aloy let out a quiet sound of surprise when his hands gently squeezed the firm cheeks of her rear, grinning when his soft chuckle tickled her lips. She didn’t miss the way his length pulsed where it was trapped between them, causing her to roll her hips to lure more of those desperate sounds of pleasure from Teb.

Eventually one of his hands snuck between them, his fingers caressing gently through the curls in her lap.

Aloy flinched, blinked at him. Teb didn’t press any further, he simply held her gaze, asking quietly for her consent. Aloy knew he was about to touch her _there_ , her most intimate part, something that she’d never even thought she’d willingly give somebody access to. Aloy also knew Teb would not do it if she signaled him to, and that knowledge was enough for her to nod slowly.

Teb smiled softly and bent forward to kiss her forehead. While he did so, he carefully slipped a finger between her pink folds, running it gently towards her entrance. Aloy tensed slightly, expecting some kind of intrusion, but Teb simply picked up some of the surprisingly high amount of moisture that had collected there without her realizing. He slowly drew his slick fingertip back a little, as if exploring the warm folds, but then he lingered on a certain spot somewhere in the center of Aloy’s heat.

When Teb’s fingertip started to rub slow, gentle circles a violent shudder rushed through Aloy, causing her hands to clutch to Teb’s back and a sudden gasp to escape her. The dizziness she had been experiencing before multiplied, filled every inch of her like a surge of adrenaline but so much sweeter, making muscles tense up she never knew she had until she had the feeling she was slowly turning weightless. Aloy vaguely realized the iron grip she had on Teb, squirming at the violent shudder than ran through her when Teb’s fingertip slightly enhanced the pressure.

“Teb…” she moaned with a husky voice, barely saw that he was smiling at her, closed her eyes and arched her back to rock against his finger, wanted more.

She felt his mouth pressing against the corner of her parted lips, his breath warm against her skin.

“Do you like that, Aloy?” he whispered, pressing his hips closer against her stomach. Aloy readily returned the movement by rolling her hips against Teb’s hardened length, anything to chase that feeling he was creating with his touch.

“Yes…”

Teb kept going, held her close, his other hand never leaving its place between her legs and Aloy would have begged him to never stop if she had been able to muster enough breath to speak. If this had been anyone but Teb Aloy would have gotten deeply intimidated about her body’s strong response and the way her mind slowly dissolved into a swimming mass of nothing but sensation, but it was him, gentle and soft and caring. Even though Aloy felt him trembling with desire, Teb stayed himself in every heartbeat that passed, searching her face for her consent to make sure she was comfortable and enjoyed every single moment. He touched her as if he was thankful, as if Aloy’s body was something precious. The knowledge reassured Aloy enough to let go, allowing that heated rush to drown out her thoughts.

When Teb lowered his head and sucked a bruise into the soft skin of her neck Aloy all but cried out, taming her own noise to a strangled groan. His mouth moved lower, kissing the soft skin of her breasts, and then his warm tongue gently swirled around one of her nipples. The surge of pleasure mingled with the heat radiating from her core, and when Teb’s lips returned to hers Aloy gently bit into the shell of his ear, savoring the desperate moan that escaped him. Her hands left the bruises she had created on his upper arms with her grip and returned to touch him, one hand caressing over his neck as she kissed him deeply and the other sneaking between them to wrap around his length, grinning at the breathless moan it elicited from Teb. He was sweating slightly, a beautiful sheen of droplets making his skin glisten and intensifying his gorgeous scent, and she felt like she could do this forever.

Suddenly, when Aloy felt like there was nothing left of her but pleasure, Teb pulled his hand away. It drew a muffled noise of protest from Aloy, but when Teb touched her cheek she opened heavy eyes and looked at him.

Teb’s eyes were impossibly dark, his cheeks flushed, a careful smile playing around his lips.

“Aloy, do you think… Do you think you are ready?” he asked softly, his thumb gently brushing over her jaw as he spoke.

Aloy blinked, suddenly emerging from the daze she had sunken in while they were touching. She assumed he was talking about the act itself, entering her. Aloy knew that was the whole point of what they were doing, but the thought alone did remind her of her former insecurity.

“Does it feel good?” she asked carefully, quirking up the corner of her mouth when Teb nodded.

“It does, believe me. Telling by the noises you made you seemed to enjoy it a lot so far,” he remarked playfully, leaning in to press a kiss on Aloy’s nose. “But… I should tell you that during their first time, girls might experience some discomfort, but only for a short moment.”

Now, Aloy frowned. This was new. Teb’s expression was something between apologetic and worried, as if he was aware of something that could cause Aloy pain but seemed inevitable. Nothing of what he’d done so far had been anything but wonderful, and his hesitation made her slightly anxious.

“What do you mean, Teb?” she asked. Teb squirmed next to her as he struggled to explain.

“There is… something like a barrier inside a young woman’s entrance, like a very thin layer of skin. During their first encounter with a man it gets broken, like a seal. It might hurt for a second, but afterwards it’ll never feel unpleasant again,” he explained.

Teb’s voice was gentle and his expression as adoring as always, but Aloy could sense his own insecurity and worry to hurt her, and something about the sudden change in his demeanor caused her old hesitation to lurk back into her mind, mixing with the frustration about the sudden stop of those wonderful caresses before. Suddenly feeling unsure about the point of all this when it had already felt so good, Aloy felt herself tensing up.

“Teb… Is it really necessary to do it, then? I enjoyed just lying here with you, really,” she remarked. She wouldn’t disappoint him with that, would she?

To her relief, Teb huffed out a soft laugh. “If you like we can keep going like we did before, Aloy. But… did you sense that at some point the tension becomes almost unbearable, as if you’re waiting for a release?”

Aloy nodded, knowing what he meant. That almost painful, sweet ache that never quite seemed to be satisfied no matter how good it felt she had certainly noticed, and he seemed to have felt just the same.

Teb smiled. “There is a way to relief that, and it feels so much more intense than everything you’ve felt so far, Aloy. I’d love nothing more to help you to experience that, together with me, and that’s what the act itself is for. To finish that sensation,” he said softly, his eyes brimming with devotion.

Aloy swallowed, torn between the endless trust she felt for Teb and her leftover insecurity, the pain he had spoken of. She really wanted to do this for him, could feel just how important it was for Teb and how much he had longed to share this with her, but she couldn’t shake that lurking hesitation rooted so deeply inside her.

“Teb, I… I really want to do this with you, I really do, but I don’t know what to expect, whether I like it. What does it feel like?” she asked, her eyebrows peaking.

Teb’s eyes found hers for a moment, deep and dark like lakewater. Aloy inhaled sharply when Teb simply kissed her forehead. He didn’t say anything when he gently nudged her until she lay on her back, supported against a pillow. He let his mouth wander down her face, nipping at her chin, trailing soft kisses down her neck over her breasts.

“Let me show you what it feels like,” Teb rumbled warmly against the taut skin on her stomach as his lips wandered further down, making Aloy gasp softly. She watched as Teb settled between her legs, his mouth nipping playfully on her left knee. Her hands tensed around the cloth she laid on when Teb’s tongue drew wet patterns over the sensitive inside of her thigh, cool against her heated skin in the evening air.

Something inside Aloy wanted to ask him where he was going with that and was silenced by that onslaught of sensation when Teb’s hand gently slipped between the wet folds of her heat again, rubbing over _that_ spot as his tongue trailed over the inside of her thigh. Her curiosity peaked, wanting to know what he was about to do. Aloy closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm pulsing filling her core, losing track of his actions as they blurred into one mass of pleasure.

Aloy’s eyes snapped open and her head jerked up when she suddenly felt a warm rush of breath tickling the curls of her pubic hair, ghosting over the wet folds of her sex. Teb’s hands gently parted her lips, his eyes flicking up to hers one more time, black with desire, then he bent down.

Every protest, every question of whether he really wanted to do this, tasting her like that, was violent wiped out of Aloy’s mind at the first flick of his tongue over her heat. She closed her eyes and moaned helplessly when Teb dragged the flat of his tongue over that sweet spot, the tension inside her back with a vengeance. He repeated the motion, licked over the rim of her entrance, picking up the moisture collecting there and spreading it over the pink warmth, then curled his tongue over Aloy’s sweet spot again. Aloy squirmed with pleasure, arched her back, unable to control those twitching muscles as jolt after jolt made her hips jerk under his attentions. Teb’s hands gently pressed her hips down to not lose the contact, but allowed her to move as she pleased, adapting to her. When he closed his lips over that bud of nerves and sucked Aloy all but cried out, a muffled plea for more leaving her mouth. Teb’s finger gently prodded at her entrance but didn’t delve in, just lingered there, caressing the soft flesh and adding up to the flicks of his tongue over her heat that caused her to gasp for breath. His other hand crept up to her breast, gently pinching her nipple and that was what almost made Aloy lose her mind.

“Teb…” Aloy gasped hoarsely, squirming under his tongue. “Don’t stop, please…” She reached out and ran her palm over his head, causing him to lift it for a moment to shoot her a gentle, adoring smile before he returned to his attentions. Teb seemed to enjoy doing this thoroughly, she realized when she saw his still hard erection and the heat in his eyes, and allowed herself to sink back into the sensation. Teb kept going, licked and sucked and drew more sighing moans of pleasure from Aloy. That feeling of tension inside her core intensified, grew into a white-hot coil of energy that made her feel like she was bursting. Aloy’s hands clenched the cloth of the sheets under her, her hips jerking off the mattress under the warm, smooth drags of Teb’s tongue over her most sensitive spot, and suddenly the tension felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, too much, too strong, every muscle inside Aloy singing like a plucked string and a desperate, muffled cry leaving her as the coil unwound with a sweet, aching explosion of heat.

And with that, all of a sudden, the tension left her, bled out in one violent rush as her body squirmed with uncontrollable shudders, leaving behind a wonderful, dizzying sensation of completion. Aloy rode out the feeling, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of it, unable to move when the wave subsided. She vaguely realized Teb’s lips pressing a soft kiss on her sex one last time before he crawled up over her body, hovering over her and carefully lowering himself down until he was lying on top of her, a warm weight pressing down on her body like a blanket.

“This is what it feels like, Aloy,” Teb murmured, his breath warm against her lips as he bent down.

Aloy returned his kiss between gasps for air, feeling his lips dripping with her juices and catching the scent of her feminine musk on them. Slowly, her peaking nerves calmed down and everything that was left was utter satisfaction.

When Teb pulled back to look at her face, Aloy couldn’t help but giggle, still reeling from that… whatever it had been. Teb pitched in, his smile adoring and gentle.

“I assume you liked it?” he asked playfully, grinning when Aloy nodded. She was aware that he was lying on top of her, bodies aligned, but it felt good even when he was pressing her down, as if he was sheltering her.

“I did, Teb. That was…”

She hesitated, suddenly realizing that no words were sufficient to describe just _how_ good it had felt.

“… Nice?” Teb finished for her. Aloy just laughed. _Nice_ wasn’t remotely enough to phrase that wonderful sensation, but it was as good as any word.

“Yeah, you could say that. Very nice. Thank you, Teb,” she said quietly. Teb’s smile wavered around the edges and he blinked rapidly. Aloy leaned in and kissed him once more, pouring everything she couldn’t say into the kiss. Teb groaned, the vibration tickling her lips pleasantly, and deepened the kiss. She cupped his face in her hands.

“I assume that was the release you were going to show me?” Aloy asked him eventually, moving her hands over his naked shoulders.

Teb nodded. “It was. During the peak of the act, if both partners are truly trying to please the other, they both feel it, maybe even at the same time, which intensifies the sensation even more.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows. Any more intense and she would have burst, she was sure. Still, she understood what Teb meant. Now that she knew what to expect and just how good it felt her hesitation was gone, replaced by a sense of familiarity. Aloy could tell by the hot pulsing of Teb’s still neglected erection between their stomachs that he longed for that feeling of satisfaction too, having had to endure that hunger for release until now. A feeling of ambition struck Aloy, the sudden will to make up for what Teb just did, to return the favor, and she knew what she could do to please him just as much as he had pleased her.

“Teb, would you… I want you close to me, if you also want it. I’m ready,” she said with a firm voice, smiling when Teb’s eyes widened.

“Aloy, are… are you sure? You know I won’t hold a grudge if we stop here and try again some other time, right?”

The twitching of his length against her stomach didn’t elude Aloy and she smirked. “I’m sure, Teb. Just… with breaking that seal. I know you will be gentle, right?”

“Of course, Aloy.”

He confirmed his answer with a kiss, rolling from her stomach until they lay on their sides again, tangled in the other’s arms. Aloy pulled Teb against her, touching spots she knew he liked, one of her hands caressing his ear and the other reaching between them to firmly wrap her fingers around his warm shaft, savoring his content groan against her lips. She felt like she was adapting to this as she slowly got familiar with Teb’s body, where to touch him and what he particularly enjoyed. Aloy readily opened her legs a little to allow Teb’s finger to slip between her folds, rubbing over her still strumming nerves and into her entrance. Aloy flinched and gasped against his lips but allowed it, knowing he wouldn’t delve deeper than she was willing. Eventually she felt that tension she now assumed must be lust growing again, mirrored in Teb’s expression and hungry little moans.

When he gently nudged her shoulder until Aloy lay on her back with Teb between her legs she complied, taking him in her arms as he hovered over her. Teb’s erection pressed gently against the soft curls in her lap, nothing more, waiting for her consent. Aloy determinedly fought down that last surge of insecurity and just nodded, focusing on the feeling of his warm, smooth skin under her hands.

Teb’s eyes never left hers when he slowly, carefully entered her. Aloy inhaled sharply when the tip of his length slid in. The way her folds stretched around his warm shaft felt unfamiliar, but not in an unpleasant way, as if she was gladly giving up yet another boundary for him. Telling by the way Teb’s arms trembled ever so slightly where he was supporting himself on his elbows next to Aloy’s head he deeply enjoyed how she felt inside, and the mere knowledge managed to calm the excitement rushing through her at the intrusion. Teb slowly pressed in until he hit some kind of barrier that sent a slight sting of pain through her abdomen. Aloy signaled him with a soft whimper and a lopsided smile that she’d like him to stop, and he immediately did.

“I guess that’s the spot?” Aloy asked quietly.

“Yep… The only uncomfortable part, I hope,” Teb replied softly, leaning down to kiss her. “How would you like me to do this, Aloy? Quick and easy or very slow?”

“I’m not quite sure, Teb,” Aloy replied with a small smile, endlessly thankful that she could always talk about every single step with him without having to fear to spoil the mood. “Try slow, for now.”

Teb nodded, bent down to lick her neck, the pleasure distracting Aloy effectively from the slight discomfort when he pressed deeper. For a moment nothing happened but then the pain got worse, a strange pinching sensation deep inside her. Aloy gasped, causing Teb to stop immediately, a genuinely concerned expression on his face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Aloy,” he hurried to say, kissing her cheek. “I… I admit I’ve never been with a girl during her first time. I don’t know whether there’s a way to make it feel less unpleasant.”

“It’s alright,” Aloy muttered, thinking rapidly. She was not willing to let herself get stopped now, not after almost mustering the courage to share this intimacy with Teb that he’d longed for for so long. Making a decision, Aloy hooked a leg up and around Teb’s waist, grit her teeth and pulled him down onto her body so that his erection slid fully inside her in one go. A strained whine at the sharp sting deep inside her escaped her and Teb gasped, his eyes frantically scanning her face to see if she was alright.

“Aloy! Are you okay?” Teb asked, his warm palms gently cupping her face.

“I’m okay,” Aloy ground out, then chuckled quietly. “I guess that was it. It’s gone.”

Teb chimed in, shaking his head with a smile on his face that brimmed with affection. “You are unbelievable, Aloy. It should stop hurting very soon, now. Let’s take it slow, tell me when you’re feeling well enough to continue.”

Aloy nodded, gently pulling his head down to kiss him deeply, something inside her feeling oddly touched at the thought that from a certain point of view, she wasn’t a girl any longer, but a woman. As sudden as the pain had been, it quickly subsided again, leaving Aloy with a feeling of being overly sensitized in a completely new way as she felt Teb’s full length inside her. Their bodies were joined completely, she realized, connected in the most intimate way possible, physically and mentally.

After a long pause of sharing kisses Teb carefully started moving again, shallow thrusts that struck to her core and left her aching with that nameless want. Soft little gasps escaped her at the new sensations as Aloy felt Teb trying out different angles to see what she liked, all the while pressing soft kisses on her face. He hit some particularly sensitive spot inside her that made Aloy’s legs tense up around him and a sudden moan escaped her. Teb reacted to the sudden change in position by breathlessly muttering her name somewhere next to her ear. It made Aloy realize that she could move too, and she rolled her hips up, trying to get back to that feeling from before, when Teb had been kissing the centre of her heat, by arching up against his hips.

What they did felt good, intense, overwhelming, Teb’s scent all around her and his breathless little noises filling her senses and those gentle thrusts that got gradually deeper and stimulated points Aloy didn’t even know existed. Her eyebrows peaked at a particularly sensitive spot that made her lower stomach convulse and a heartbeat later Teb struck that place again, kissed her neck, one hand of his coming up to cup her breast, eliciting yet another source of heat spreading through her. It was almost too much, the onslaught of feelings and Teb and his own pleasure that Aloy wanted to keep up and everything happened a little too quickly. Her hands clenched in the soft skin of Teb’s back and her moans turned into a soft whimper.

And then, as if Teb could read her thoughts, he suddenly stopped moving. When Aloy opened heavy eyes she saw him looking her over, a concerned expression on his face.

“You’re not entirely comfortable with this,” he remarked quietly and began to separate their bodies again. Aloy’s eyes widened in shock; that was not what she had wanted to happen.

“No, Teb, I am! Please, keep going, I want this…” she hurried to say, surprised by her husky voice.

Aloy fell silent when Teb bent forward and pressed his lips to her forehead in a soft kiss that made her hold her breath. When he pulled back, he had a gentle smile on his face, but no sign of disappointment.

“It’s okay, really. This is for both of us, not just me. I should have known you’d be a little overwhelmed by all this like we did it. I was going to suggest swapping positions, see if you like that better.”

Now Aloy blinked in confusion. How was she supposed to be on top? She gasped softly when Teb pulled out, then watched as he half sat, half lay on his back, supported against the pillows. He had an adoring smile on his face when he gestured to his lap, his erection still pink and hard against his stomach.

“Come kneel on my lap, Aloy,” he said, beckoning her over. Aloy frowned for just a moment, but then scooted over to him and settled down on his lap with her thighs left and right of his hips, his length in front of her. She mustered a lopsided smirk when she understood how Teb had planned this to work. As soon as she was sitting on top of him Teb wrapped her in his arms and gently pulled until she was leaning forward, kissing her passionately. Aloy hummed into the kiss, feeling herself relax. Teb gasped against her mouth when the tip of his erection grazed against Aloy’s stomach, and she rolled her hips to stimulate it again, grinning when Teb tilted his head back with pleasure.

“Take me in whenever you feel ready,” he mumbled against Aloy’s lips when she kissed him again. She felt ready, she decided, and lifted her hips a little to allow Teb to slide into her. It took her a moment of fumbling about to find the right spot, but Teb just waited patiently, rewarding her success with a low groan as he slowly slid inside her warmth. His hands gently grabbed her hips to guide her as Aloy let herself sink down until their bodies melded completely. As before, Aloy had to wait a moment for the sensitive flesh inside her to adapt to the intrusion, but Teb didn’t move, gave her time until she experimentally rocked her hips. She almost felt Teb slipping out again and hurried to correct her angle, realizing that this required a bit of practice.

Aloy was relieved when Teb moaned softly with pleasure, his grip on her thighs tightening.

“Was that good?” Aloy asked with a soft smile, feeling that sweet, aching tension glowing up again like wind blowing into embers.

Teb just hummed, a dreamy expression on his face. “Uh-huh. Try moving as if you’re riding a Strider. Just find a nice angle for yourself, Aloy. Everything you do feels good.”

Aloy blinked, but followed his advice, rolling her hips in an undulating pattern as if she was riding a machine. It elicited a breathy moan from Teb and she felt his own hips jerking up to meet hers, deepening their connection. Encouraged, Aloy tried leaning over him at different angles. A sudden gasp escaped her when Teb’s length struck a nerve inside her that made every muscle in her abdomen sing like a plucked string, and she tipped forward, supporting herself against his warm chest, rolling her hips to hit that spot again. Teb took her in his arms, kissed her and caught her moans with his mouth. That sweet glow inside Aloy grew even more when the tips of her breasts brushed against Teb’s chest and he seemed to sense her pleasure, guiding her hips and thrusting up into her to intensify that almost painful, beautiful sensation deep inside her.

 _This is perfect_ , Aloy realized before her mind got drowned out by desire. This way she was in control, could steer how deep Teb reached and how quickly the thrusts came. Teb allowed her to set the pace, gently guiding her movements and responding to each and every one of her actions with unbridled displays of pleasure, his cheeks flushed bright pink and blown pupils, kissing her neck when Aloy tilted her head back. One of his hands left her hips and dug into her hair as Aloy cupped his face to kiss his ear, grinning when he rewarded her with a breathy moan. She sped up the pace a little, causing Teb to inhale sharply, his head rolling back, eyes closed with enjoyment.

One of his hands snuck between them and he pressed a fingertip against where their bodies where joined, gently rubbing against that sweet spot. Aloy suddenly felt her pleasure multiplying as a surge of heat radiated from where Teb had placed his hand. He kept it there so Aloy could rock against his hand, now getting stimulated by his pulsing heat inside her and his fingertip touching that spot, each and every one of her movements making her nerves spike. She felt herself getting lost, her world shrinking down to the way Teb looked at her face, her body, unconcealed adoration in his beautiful eyes, responding to her movements as if they were made to be one. All Aloy heard was their cut-off breaths and soft moans as they both started tensing up, sweat beading on fever-hot skin and hands grasping for each other as if they were looking for something to hold onto, desperate to not lose each other in the rush. Aloy bent down to Teb to kiss him, basking in his scent and the feeling of his breath against her lips when he groaned with pleasure, her mind wiped clean, every nerve inside her dedicated to this moment they shared.

After what felt like forever and no time at all Aloy felt that gorgeous, sweet pain taking hold of her, that tension coiling up inside her, making every muscle clench until she had the feeling she couldn’t take it any longer. One last coherent part of Aloy felt Teb experiencing the same, his movements getting erratic and his hands clamping down on her hipbones, his eyebrows drawn together in a mixture of frustration and bliss. His head tipped back and he let out a hoarse whine that peaked in a broken whisper of her name. Aloy plummeted over the edge together with Teb as the tension bled out from her body in one rush and she rode out her height, clinging to Teb as she chased the feeling until it was replaced by leaden satisfaction.

For a long moment, all they did was breathe. At some point Aloy had tipped over until she lay on top of Teb’s warm chest, boneless with exhaustion. She felt his breath ghosting through her hair somewhere next to her head, her ears humming in the sudden silence. The chilly evening air cooled the sweat on her skin. She realized it had gotten dark outside, the candles burnt lower and casting a soft, orange light over them. How long they had spent with their… encounter, Aloy couldn’t tell, but it must have been a long while.

Teb’s hand rubbed gentle circles over her back. She felt his pulsing inside her coming to a stop, and when he gently urged her hips up she lifted them, allowing his softening length to slide out of her. Aloy sat up a little, blinking when she felt a viscous liquid running down the inside of her thigh. She looked down and realized there was a small puddle of it on Teb’s lower stomach as well.

Teb chuckled, his voice rough and drowsy when he spoke. “That’s my seed. Sorry for the mess,” he commented softly, one hand of his rubbing up and down her thigh. “Come here.”

Aloy smiled and scooted into his arms, strangely enticed by the sensation of having something of him inside her, and still reeling from her peak earlier. Every muscle inside her felt relaxed and pleasantly tired as she returned Teb’s passionate kiss and he cradled her against him as if there was no place he’d rather be.

“That was… pretty nice, Teb,” Aloy said after a long moment of just lying in his arms.

Teb laughed softly, his eyes glittering. “Yes, it was. The best night I ever had. Thank you for trusting me with this, Aloy. I’m honored, really.”

His words caused her chest to clench with a sweet pain, and she hurried to smile to hide how touched she was, but Teb must have seen it anyway, telling by the way his own smile trembled.

“I’m glad I shared it with you.”

They kissed, long and deeply. When they broke the kiss, Teb shuffled to the edge of the bed and got up. Aloy suddenly felt very alone, the place that had pressed against Teb’s warm body strangely cold. She heard him pad over to the kitchen corner to place a kettle on the fire.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m making you your tea.”

“That’s… very nice of you, but I can’t remember asking you for a tea,” Aloy replied.

Teb turned around and looked at her for a moment before he answered. “Well, you should drink one. You don’t want to get pregnant, do you?”

Aloy’s words stuck in her throat. She had not thought about the possible consequences of having sex with a man for a single moment, way too concerned with her own insecurities and when finally discovering how Teb could make her feel entirely focusing on that, and the pleasure and intimacy they shared. What did he mean? Was it too late now, or did he have some kind of remedy?

Teb returned soon with two cups, a quite large and a very small one. He handed Aloy the bigger cup and joined her side again, keeping the small one for himself.

“Teb, please tell me that I didn’t just do something I’ll regret,” Aloy joked, but a part of her was being entirely serious. Teb met her eyes, and she was relieved to see an amused sparkle in them.

“You do now what sex is for, essentially, right?”

Aloy nodded. She did, she had just not thought about it, her only purpose of sleeping with Teb the wish to please him, to seal their closeness in this ultimate proof of trust.

“Well, most people share this for their enjoyment, or like we did, to get as close as possible. Only a small portion of those encounters end up with a child. The risk itself is quite low, but it can be made even lower with this herbal mixture. It’s called moon tea.”

“Why have I never heard of it in the Embrace? No Nora merchant I met sold moon tea,” Aloy remarked.

“That’s because the Matriarchs deeply disapprove of anything that prevents pregnancies from happening. You know, the worship of motherhood and all. But still most people secretly rely on this, it’s just something you can’t buy openly. If they didn’t have this tea Mother’s Heart would be about five times denser populated,” Teb explained. “The Carja are a lot more open about this preventative matter than the Nora, I learned. They sell an even stronger mix of moon tea entirely legal in Meridian that lowers the chance of pregnancy almost down to zero.”

Aloy nodded, understanding. She sniffed at her tea and made a face.

“It doesn’t really seem tasty,” she remarked at the bitter smell. Teb laughed softly.

“I know. Sorry. It helps, though.”

“Why do you have a cup too, Teb? If I’m informed correctly you shouldn’t need one,” Aloy wanted to know, smirking at him.

“Well, I think it’s wrong that you as a girl are the only one having to endure the bad taste. It’s only fair,” Teb replied, taking a sip and wrinkling his nose in a stupidly adorable expression. “Ew.”

Aloy laughed, touched deeply by the gesture. It made it a lot easier to drink the tea despite the bitter taste and Aloy downed it in one go. Teb took her cup from her and set them aside on the small table next to the bed. He was still naked, a part of her mind observed, but he was not ashamed by her presence at all. Neither did she feel exposed even though she was naked around him. After all they had just done, how close they had been to each part of their bodies, it felt only natural and Aloy smiled at the warm feeling of comfort it filled her with.

“You should drink another cup tomorrow and we’ll be fine,” Teb said. He picked up a blanket from where they had pushed them into an untidy heap during their play and covered his body, lifting a corner for Aloy to huddle against him. She gladly did, basking in his slightly sweaty, intense scent as she pressed close like she usually did, the only difference the memories from what had happened between them and the feel of skin against skin. It felt _right_ , in every way.

Suddenly, a realization struck Aloy.

“Teb…? Why did you have a stock of moon tea here, in your kitchen?” she asked him carefully. By the way Teb’s head spun around and he suddenly blushed, she could already tell where his answer was going.

“I…” he stuttered, then relented and smiled. “Aloy… A simple Stitcher can have desperate hopes for the most wonderful huntress in the world to cast an eye at him, you know.”

Teb didn’t quite look at her when he spoke, but in the corners of his eyes Aloy could see it, just for how long he had yearned to get closer to her, and how long he had been willing to wait until she was ready, never pressuring her, always gentle and patient and thankful just for her company. Aloy’s heart beat faster and she felt her hands tensing around him, overcome by the sudden urge to hold him forever and never let him go again.

“Sorry for making you wait, Teb,” she said quietly.

Teb huffed out a soft laugh. “If it means waiting for you to be comfortable with this, I’d gladly wait again, Aloy. It certainly was worth every moment.”

His devotion was unmatched, Aloy realized. Touched to the quick, she leaned in to kiss him deeply, pouring everything she couldn’t say into the kiss and feeling him respond equally. Overwhelmed and still filled with that gentle, warm glow of satisfaction, Aloy kept lying in his arms, basking in his presence and the memory of their shared closeness until they both drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *breathes out*
> 
> I know Aloy/Teb is a niche pairing like none other but holy shit I couldn't wait to write this chapter.
> 
> This is the goddamn longest sex scene I've ever written, and I've already written quite long ones. Also it's the first sex scene involving a demisexual character I've ever written and my gods do I hope you all enjoyed it. Please don't hesitate to tell me if you did and see you next chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

XVI.

Teb’s fingers gently wandered over the smooth, solid planes of Aloy’s stomach, her muscles almost more pronounced than his own due to her profession as huntress, but her skin so much softer, like silk to the touch.

Teb knew Aloy would wake up as soon as he touched her face, so he didn’t, since he really wanted to take another moment to just lie next to her and drink in the sight of her in the dim hours just before sunrise. Teb had observed with some amusement that Aloy had two modes of sleeping. In the wilderness, when they had been travelling to the Embrace together, she always slept curled up on her side like a little fox to preserve body heat, her head tipped so that she could hear approaching danger, twitching with every little sound outside. When Aloy slept in their shared apartment she did the exact opposite, lying outstretched to her full height, curved into Teb’s arms with her limbs sprawling, and much less easy to wake. Teb sometimes asked himself if she had shown this behavior before meeting him, or developed it only later as soon as she got familiar with his closeness, a proof of her trust and comfort around him.

He really wanted to believe the latter, but right now it hardly mattered to him.

Teb quietly smiled to himself, placed his palm on Aloy’s naked stomach and looked at her face for possibly the thousandth time this morning, basking in the memories of last night that still made his pulse quicken and his cheeks heating up. Aloy had given him the most wonderful gift he could have ever asked for, out of her own will – the honor of sharing her first time with him. It was her who had approached him with her wish to try and lie down together, not the other way round, even when it probably had been prompted by her sudden realization of Teb’s arousal. If anything it had shown Teb that Aloy had been turning the thought of sleeping with him over in her head for a longer time, and it filled him with such a humbling, honoring thankfulness that he could hardly wrap his mind around it.

Sharing her first time with the love of his life had been one of his deepest, still hopeless dreams, and having it fulfilled now made him feel like nothing in the world could ever hurt him again.

Teb smiled at the breathy snore Aloy made, reminding himself not to pressure her and to leave her space after their encounter last night to allow her to get to terms with it if she needed it. He watched as Aloy squirmed a little in her sleep and decided to carefully wake her up.

Teb bent over her and gently kissed Aloy’s nose. He grinned as she crinkled her nose and made a face for a moment, but when her eyes flickered open and she spotted him a wide smile stretched her lips.

“Please tell me I didn’t oversleep,” Aloy rumbled quietly.

Teb chuckled. “No, you haven’t. The sun hasn’t risen yet.”

“Good. Hey, Teb,” Aloy muttered, lifting a hand to gently pull him down to kiss her. Teb complied readily, and for a long moment it was all they did. They were still naked under the fur blanket, and Teb felt Aloy shuddering contently when he pulled her against him, sleep-warm skin on skin.

When her breasts got in touch with Teb’s chest and she let out a soft gasp against his mouth, Teb pulled back a little to look her over.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked gently, trying to find out if Aloy was still comfortable with being naked and prone around him, after everything last night had happened in a lustful daze and now she was clearheaded again.

To his relief, Aloy nodded, something serious in her eyes. “I did. Very well, actually.”

Her grin that followed was contagious and Teb mirrored it, gently brushing his fingertips down her cheek over her jaw, but there was something else hidden behind her beautiful hazel eyes. Teb could see that it was the memory of what they had done, that Aloy knew what Teb’s naked body looked like, what every inch of his skin felt like when she touched it, what he sounded like when he moaned with pleasure, and that she also knew that Teb knew the same about her. This mutual knowledge was a part of shared intimacy that Teb was already vaguely familiar with after his irregular encounters with other girls, though none of them had remotely made him feel like Aloy did. Still he knew it was new for Aloy, waking up and looking her partner in the eyes after a night of pleasures.

Aloy dealt with it by both blushing and shooting him that mischievous, lopsided smirk he loved so much, both coy and flirty in her own, unique way. Teb couldn’t help but laugh softly, pulled her in and kissed her one more time.

“I should make us our tea now,” he said eventually when Aloy’s kiss started to get more urgent and he knew he’d get lost in it when he didn’t stop it. Aloy blinked and then nodded her assent, apparently remembering this issue.

Teb stood up and walked to the kitchen to get a fire going from the still smoldering embers from last night, kept alive by blocks of dried peat. A few twigs were all it took to rekindle the flames and soon he placed a kettle over the fire. When he returned to the bed with a large and a small cup of tea, he was aware that Aloy kept looking at his naked body, her eyes lingering on his crotch as he approached her. Teb smirked, not quite managing to hide his blush, but not minding in the least that she stared at him. He deeply appreciated every little step she took to get familiar with this aspect of their relationship. He sat down on the edge of the bed and handed Aloy the cups, then shuffled back to her side to take the smaller one from her.

They both drank their tea huddled together in quiet, drowsy comfort while the sun slowly rose outside. Teb still felt that warm blanket of satisfaction over both of them and there was no place in the world he’d rather be than here with Aloy pressed contently against his side, closing her eyes when he reached up to caress her hair. Teb made a face at the bitter taste when he finished his tea, admiring Aloy for downing her much bigger cup in one go.

“And this really works?” Aloy asked, crinkling her nose.

“It does,” Teb replied. “Though, there is another way that offers yet another bit of safety.”

“Is there?” Aloy came back, taking his cup and setting both aside, huddling in close against his naked chest, her head nestled in the curve of his neck. “And what?”

Teb took a deep breath, now suddenly aware that he was about to address a topic that felt strangely forbidden to him as a male, as if it wasn’t in his place to talk about it. But this was Aloy, after all, and he’d sworn to himself to never hide anything from her.

“Well, it’s about, I mean… your moon cycle,” he said carefully, squirming when Aloy raised an eyebrow at him. “You know, your period.”

“Oh, you mean my bleeding. Stop blushing, Teb, it’s alright. What does it have to do with it?”

Teb quietly breathed out, glad to not having offended her. “There are only a few days with a higher chance of pregnancy, about two weeks after the first day of your last bleeding. Which means that right after and right before your bleeding things are save, even better with tea, but those few days right in the middle should be avoided or dealt with in another way,” he explained.

Aloy nodded, apparently turning his words over in her head. Then, suddenly, something sly crept into her expression.

“You do know that it implies you’d like to sleep with me again, is that right, Teb?”

Teb flinched so hard he almost rocked her from his shoulder, staring at her with sudden panic. He hadn’t said something wrong, had he…? Did she mean that after their first time, she’d prefer not to repeat their encounter?

To his endless relief, Aloy just laughed. “Oh, Teb, your face. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Teb huffed out a soft laugh. “Erm… Aloy… Does that mean you would like to share this with me again, someday?”

Now, it was Aloy’s turn to blush. “I… I wouldn’t mind it, Teb, to be honest. Not at all.”

Teb felt his smile quivering around the edges, and he had to take a deep breath to steady himself. “Me neither.”

“Good.”

They kissed again, long and gently. Eventually, Aloy pulled away a little.

“Teb…?” Aloy asked suddenly. Teb raised his eyebrows, knowing by her tone that she was thinking about something that felt very urgent to her.

“Yes, Aloy?”

“Are we…” she began, hesitated, then continued. “Teb, are we a couple?”

Once more, Teb felt himself thrown out of balance by the seriousness in her expression, as if she was asking for his advice on something she was unfamiliar with.

Apparently seeing his confusion, Aloy added: “When I spoke to Avad lately, he assumed we were a couple after seeing us together. Are we?”

Finally coming back to his senses, Teb hurried to reassure her. “Aloy, that’s for us to decide, if we want to give our situation a name or not. I mean, there’s nobody forcing us to. If you’d like to remain unbound entirely that’s alright with me.”

He was not quite telling the truth here, Teb knew grudgingly, since he longed to call Aloy his partner, his _mate_ so badly that it almost hurt, but if it made her feel like she was tied up in a cage he wouldn’t risk that. By the way Aloy’s eyes narrowed at him she knew he was having second thoughts, though, making Teb blush nervously.

“I mean…” she said. “I would like to remain free and unbound, but I know that with you I can. You’ve never held me back, Teb. I also know that what we have is the one thing I’d like to keep returning to. The only one I’d like to live with like I do now. So… if you’d want to call us a couple I would be okay with that.”

Teb blinked, his words stuck in his throat as he let her words sink in, the closest Aloy had ever come to confess feelings for him that he could so far only read in her actions, her touches and her kisses.

“… I would be very okay with that as well, Aloy,” he replied a little hoarsely, but with an incredulous smile on his face that she mirrored. Her hand came up to touch his cheek, warm and affectionate.

“It certainly sounds a lot nicer than business partners,” she remarked. “Doesn’t it?”

“It does.”

-

After staying in bed with Teb for much longer than she usually did but not willing to part from his warm embrace, Aloy finally managed to get up and going after sharing another very thorough kiss with him, the look they exchanged brimming with a strange, knowing shine that made her stomach flutter pleasantly. Teb started to work on a commission while Aloy busied herself with making breakfast, for once, since Teb had realized he needed more time for the back protector he was working on. Aloy fed him with grapes and chunks of dried meat and left a cup of fruit tea on his workbench, then decided to prepare shock bombs. She did so near the balcony to not distract Teb in his concentration with the sharp hissing noises the sparkers made when she sealed them into metal vessels.

Aloy’s gaze went out in the open as she worked, seeking out the palace of the Sun King. It was quite a distance away but she could still see a bustling crowd moving over the bridge away from it, as if the first long queue of petitioners was already making to leave again. She remembered her promise to send an envoy to the Matriarchs telling them of Avad’s consent to open the border to traders and stock up the number of guards around the watchtowers along the western road. If she really asked him for an envoy Avad would gladly give her one, she knew, but Aloy still was somewhat afraid of what the Nora would do to a Carja crossing the border even when the Matriarchs had told them not to shoot them on sight. A dead Carja envoy would be a death sentence to her efforts to make the world a little less hostile for everybody. Aloy frowned in thought, trying to come up with a way to solve this issue. Her eyes wandered down her body and the light Nora Brave armor she wore, then spotted the Mark of the Seeker still attached to her belt, the little embroidered badge that had granted her access to every corner of the Nora territory and beyond. Aloy knew that the Braves respected at least this, a proof of the Matriarch’s orders.

Suddenly, an idea struck her.

“Teb?” Aloy exclaimed, setting her half-finished bomb aside to return to the workshop. Teb looked up from the piece of Glinthawk plate he was slowly bending into the right shape when she approached, smiling at her.

“Do you need something, Aloy?”

“I do. If you can spare the time. It’s important, though – I just found out how we can make sure the envoy to the Embrace won’t get killed as soon as they cross the border.”

Teb’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, good. Can I help you with that?”

“Teb, I had the Mark of the Seeker and it helped me a lot. Is there a mark for peace, or friendship? Could you make a mark for the envoy so they have a proof that they’re coming with the Matriarchs’ consent?” she asked, pointing to her belt.

Teb tilted his head, thinking about her idea. “There are symbols for peace and allies, but… Aloy, if I was a stubborn warrior with bad impressions of the Carja and see a stranger crossing the border with a Nora mark, I’d assume he’d stolen it from a Nora he killed and now sets out to kill even more in the Sacred Lands. The envoy would probably get pierced by even more arrows,” he remarked.

Aloy faltered. She hadn’t thought of that at all. “Ah, I see. Damn this mistrust between our people, really. I’m sick and tired of it,” she growled, leaning heavily against the workbench. Next to her, Teb frowned as if he was thinking as hard as he could.

“Oh, Aloy! I have an idea. I could make a custom batch with both Nora symbols and the crest of the Sundom. That way they will know it’s unique, made especially for the envoy, by a Nora in the Sundom. It will certainly stop them from just shooting the envoy without making sure the Matriarchs see the mark first,” Teb explained. Aloy jumped up from where she was leaning and rushed in to hug Teb.

“That’s perfect, Teb! Good plan! I have no idea what I would do without you and your smart mind.”

Teb blushed under her embrace, but returned it. “You’d probably snap at people and talk some sense into them until they read your every wish from your lips,” he joked. He was still sitting and Aloy’s embrace involved that his face was pressed against her breasts, Aloy realized with a smirk. He didn’t complain, only gently rubbed his cheek against her soft chest with a dreamy smile on his face.

“Maybe,” she replied, allowing Teb to savor the contact some more. “But you have that way of balancing my temper.”

She bent down to kiss his forehead, grinning against his skin when he shuddered with pleasure.

“Can you start working on the mark now? I’d like to visit Avad soon,” Aloy asked. Teb cast another look at his unfinished armor, but when he looked back at Aloy he nodded.

“Of course. I see why you’d want to bring them on their way as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Teb.”

As promised, Teb set his armor aside and started working on the mark. He picked a leather badge from his stash, one of the round, button-like ornaments Nora traditionally decorated their attire with, and started sewing a pattern on it with sky blue and blood red thread, symbolizing both the Nora and the Carja colors. Aloy watched as he attached feathers, both from birds of the Embrace and the jungle, then painted a number of symbols on it with pigments dissolved in oils and wax.

“Alright…” he said when he was done. “This should do it. Here, these two symbols stand for peace and partnership between groups of people. The Matriarchs paint them on their walls when they have visitors from other Nora villages coming over for big festivities. They are well known and will certainly turn an eye when found on a Carja. This red sun is the one from the King’s banners. I hope it will work.”

Aloy nodded, satisfied. “Perfect, Teb. The red symbol is Avad’s personal crest, not the one his father used. Even Nora who lost someone during the Red Raids won’t recognize it as something evil, but it certainly looks like something from the Sundom. Thank you, I’m sure this will do the trick.”

Aloy took the mark from Teb and carefully put it in a satchel on her belt, bending down to kiss him again. Teb moaned softly against her lips when she curled her tongue against his, cupping her cheeks to pull her in. He was still sitting on a stool and turned until he was facing her. Teb shifted his grip to gently usher her down, closer against him, pulling back so Aloy had to bend her knees if she wanted to keep up the contact. Eventually Teb’s hands crept to her thighs and pulled ever so slightly, and Aloy complied on instinct, sliding onto his lap. When she was sitting on his lap Teb chuckled, cheeks flushed, and wrapped her in his arms. Aloy suddenly felt herself reminded of their position from the night before, when she was grinding down on Teb’s erection with sweat beading between their stomachs. The way her thighs were stretched around his middle made her core heat up, even more when Teb’s arms tightened and pulled her upper body against him until they were pressed flush together.

Teb let out a soft, needy whine when Aloy rolled her hips, making her grin at his response. She did it again, felt the sensation of his body pressing against her heat, but muffled by the layers of cloth between them that made the contact sweet, but frustratingly faint so she enhanced the pressure. Teb groaned against her neck where he had been tracing wet paths with his tongue, causing Aloy to roll her head back to give him an easier job of it, closing her eyes with enjoyment. It was surprisingly easy to fall back into this, she realized, as if her body remembered how to move and what to do to make her feel good, taking over as her mind got drowned in that blissful, warm haze.

Still, a little gasp escaped Aloy when she felt a bulge forming between them, pressing against her stomach through the soft leather of Teb’s pants. She peeked down, greeted by Teb’s apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Aloy. I told you that you have that effect on me,” he said quietly, mouthing at her collarbone with soft, warm lips.

“It’s alright, Teb,” she replied, accepting what she did to his body but unsure if she was required to react to it in some way. “Do you want me to… do something about it?”

Teb looked up, something caring and knowing in his dark eyes. “Not now, please. I’ll just wait until my body loses interest again. As much as I enjoy this I really should focus on my work, and you have a king to visit. Let’s… postpone this a little, alright?”

Aloy smirked, sensing what Teb didn’t say, but able to read it from his expression and that shine in his eyes.

_This evening, if you want._

Oh, how she wanted.

-

Sun King Avad was reading documents under an ornate pavilion that provided some shade against the heat. When he noticed Aloy approaching, he stood up to greet her, obviously happy about the distraction.

“Hello, Avad.”

“Aloy, good to see you. You seem well.”

“Are you available?”

“For you, always. I’m dealing with the refugees around Sunfall at the moment, there has to be a way to help those poor people, but I’m also obliged to exchange messages with the Oseram to keep our alliance stable. There’s a lot in motion,” Avad answered with a tired tone in his voice.

Aloy nodded in understanding, realizing she hadn’t seen Erend around Avad in a while at the mention of Oseram. “What about Erend? He’d surely help to smooth the ripples, right?”

“He would and his word is invaluable, but he’s in Pitchcliff at the moment to settle family affairs with his own clan and its relationship with some others. Right now there’s no need whatsoever to be afraid without a bodyguard by my side, I still have the majority of the Vanguard,” Avad explained. “Anyway, enough of me. How’s your… business partner doing?”

Aloy took a deep breath, remembering her talk with Teb this morning. “You can call us a couple now, Avad. Teb and I have decided that’s a nicer term than business partners.”

Avad blinked incredulously, then his lips stretched into a wide smile and he spread his arms. “Congratulations, then. It was high time, I suppose, going by the way he kept looking at you.”

Aloy tried to hide her blush and smirk when Avad shot her a little wink, then visibly struggled to regain some of his royal sobriety. “Ahem. How can I help you?”

“By sending an envoy to deliver a message to the Embrace. Teb and I had the idea that we’d give them a token of friendship to make sure the Nora won’t harm them.”

Aloy pulled the mark Teb made from her pouch and showed it to Avad, who gently took it to look it over.

“I recognize the style from your and Teb’s attire. I see this is my crest, but the other symbols are unknown to me. A Nora will respect this, you say?”

Aloy nodded. “It’s a traditional ornament, and the symbols stand for peace and friendship, combined with your crest to show that this badge wasn’t stolen from some Nora, but made specifically for the envoy. Every Nora in the tribe will recognize this and not harm the bearer if they don’t want to risk severe punishment. They should be able to get them to the Matriarchs to deliver your message.”

Avad nodded. “Of course, that’s good to hear. Teb made this, I assume? He’s truly a man of many talents.”

Aloy blushed, feeling a rush of pride at the compliment. “He sure is.”

“Then let’s waste no time and set up the message for the Matriarchs that they have my consent to open the border. Their people won’t be harmed by mine and protected during their journey in the Sundom if they travel on our roads. I’ll make sure the letter expresses that they have my word.”

-

The envoy was a Carja woman, Aloy realized joyfully. It showed her that Avad was sticking to his promise to break with the suppression of women in the Carja society, like he had done with making Ersa his bodyguard when she had been still alive.  The woman’s name was Zeera and she made a very sturdy, agile impression on Aloy in her reinforced Lodge armor when she accepted the royal letter. She let Aloy explain to her the way to the Embrace, past Daytower and the former forsaken village to the Sacred Lands, and how to address the Matriarchs. She told her to stick to Teersa and warned her of Lansra’s moods, advising her to be patient for everyone’s sake no matter how hard it was.

Equipped with Teb’s mark, Zeera set out to deliver the message and Aloy bid Avad goodbye, both exchanging their hopes for this endeavor to work like it was planned. Aloy returned to Teb’s workshop when the sun went down. She remembered that Teb probably had been working nonstop after she had deployed him to craft the mark for their plan if he wanted to keep up his commission schedule. Aloy assumed he hadn’t had the time to cook and decided to surprise him by getting them a ready-made meal so she could spare him the effort.

Aloy stopped at the market where the food stands were located and bought boiled clams fresh from the lake, stored in a clay urn, a loaf of maize bread filled with chunks of roasted boar bacon, still hot from the oven, and after a moment’s thought also a bag of those green fruits from the jungle margins that Teb liked so much. Contently clutching her package to her chest, Aloy returned to their apartment.

Now that Aloy had the feeling having settled another task on her way to open up the Embrace to the world, her thoughts suddenly returned to Teb. A flood of memories erupted in her mind, making her blush when she thought of what they had done last night, and how good it had felt. Some part of her was almost shocked at how easy it had been to give up every last boundary of herself, allowing Teb to cross them until he reached her very heart, open and exposed and willing to let him in. Despite that lingering feeling of uncharted territory Aloy felt exhilarated at the sheer thought of returning to him, seeing that knowledge of what they had shared in his gaze, as if they both thought of a pleasant secret between only the two of them.

On her way along the terrace she watched the sun go down, remembering her talk with Teb this morning, and the promise he had silently implied. Aloy unconsciously asked herself if he really would agree to share breath and warmth with her again, even though she had no idea how to ask for it.

 _If it’s the same as with kisses it will be enough to look at him_ , Aloy mused with her cheeks warming up and her spine erupting in flutters. It felt as if a swarm of tiny Watchers in her stomach jumped excitedly up and down until she felt like she was turning weightless. That kind of anticipation was new, much stronger than when she was looking forward to kisses, as if they both had taken another step forward into that shared sensation of being connected by an invisible thread.

Unconsciously, Aloy started to speed up her footsteps.

-

Teb heaved a sigh when his stomach grumbled, staring out at the sinking sun that slowly darkened his workshop. He knew Aloy was about to return soon and he hadn’t had the chance to cook dinner yet, but after spending some time crafting the mark for the envoy for her he’d had to use every hour to work on his commissions. Aloy’s needs always came first for him, but it still pained him that this evening all they’d have for dinner was leftovers and tomatoes.

Teb painted some last touches on a Nora symbol for luck decorating the shoulder part of a backplate, deciding it was time to stop before his hands started to shake with exhaustion and his brushstrokes went messy. He set the brush aside and arched his back that ached from sitting on a stool all day. Footsteps on the stairs in front of his apartment made him turn his head and he smiled widely when Aloy brusquely shouldered her way through the door with a muttered curse, her arms loaded with a parchment package and an urn.

“Aloy! Good to have you back,” Teb greeted her. Aloy’s annoyed frown after almost getting stuck in the doorway with her load morphed into a coy smirk upon seeing him.

“Hey Teb,” she said, hurried to close the distance between them. She made to hug him, then suddenly remembered that she was carrying things and quickly put them aside on the next best table. As soon as her arms were free Aloy all but jumped into Teb, wrapping him in a tight embrace. Teb huffed and chuckled breathlessly when Aloy pressed up against him, her face nestled in the curve of his neck.

“You seem to have missed me,” he said softly, pressing his lips into the alluring scent of Aloy’s hair.

He gasped and closed his eyes when Aloy caught his mouth with hers, peppering him with heated kisses. She seemed urgent, almost needy, slipping her tongue in his mouth and one of her hands reaching up to cradle the back of his neck. Teb immediately took her in, moaned softly against her lips at the taste of her. They kissed until his stomach complained loudly, and he pulled back with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Aloy…”

“Teb, you need to eat more regularly. You already are thin enough,” Aloy chided playfully, back to her usual upfront nature, but Teb still saw that darkness in her eyes, that pink hue over her cheeks. Apparently she’d missed his touch a lot, and he was only too happy about that discovery.

“I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to come up with a proper dinner,” Teb admitted. “I hope leftovers are fine for you.”

“I thought you’d be busy all day, after distracting you with my envoy mark. I’ve been to the market to get us some food,” Aloy replied, reaching for her packages and a clay urn. “The bread should still be warm, and there are clams from the lake, today’s haul. And your favorite fruits.”

Something in Teb’s expression made Aloy fall silent, causing her to return his touched gaze for a long moment. He didn’t quite know what to say, but knew that it wasn’t necessary. He settled for reaching up to run a palm down her cheek. Aloy tilted her head into the touch, her pupils widening again.

“I… guess the bread is getting cold,” she relented eventually and Teb agreed by helping her to carry their dinner to the narrow table they shared their meals at. He eagerly dug into the corn bread, still warm from the oven and greasy from the boar bacon baked into the dough. Aloy shared the clams between them by cracking them open with the point of a sharp hunting blade she had produced from somewhere inside her still equipped Brave armor. When they both had their fill, Teb felt significantly less shaky. With a content sigh he sank back on the pillow he sat on until he was leaning against the doorframe of the balcony, thankfully accepting a handful of fruits from Aloy.

“Are you feeling better?” she asked, grinning at his drowsy smile.

“I do. Thank you, Aloy. I promise tomorrow I’ll cook again,” Teb came back. “How did your talk with Avad go?”

“We sent the envoy on her way. Her name is Zeera. I hope everything will finally get into motion once she arrives in Mother’s Heart,” Aloy answered.

Teb raised his eyebrows. “Oh, the envoy is a woman? That’s actually a lot better.”

“Is it?”

“Yes! You know Nora warriors have usually more respect for females. Also, the Carja that attacked them during the Red Raids were all male because of their military structure, and the Nora are much less likely to shoot a stranger on sight of it’s a woman. They don’t associate Carja females with danger,” Teb explained.

His smile widened when Aloy’s eyes sparkled with that enthusiastic hope, that bustling energy she had in herself to make the world a little better against the worst odds.

“That’s pretty good to hear,” she smirked. “Let’s hope you are right.”

With that, she got up and collected their empty plates from the table to carry them to the kitchen corner, and Teb followed her to help. They cleaned the dishes together and decided to keep the clay urn that had contained the clams for another use.   

While Teb was scrubbing crumbs and grease from a plate with a wooden brush, he couldn’t help but notice Aloy’s gaze flicking over to him more often than usually, lingering on his torso, his legs or the back of his neck. There was a certain hunger in her eyes that he’d only seen a few times so far, including yesterday’s night. Teb could read Aloy like a book but now barely believed what her body language spelled out to him, plain and open for him to see, and what Teb saw made his heart beat faster.

What little doubt Teb could have had left was violently shattered when Aloy suddenly put her clean cup down and pressed against his side, her hand crawling up his arm.

“Teb… It’s evening,” Aloy remarked, her voice a touch rougher than usual.

Now, Teb turned around to her, suddenly and with a rush of heat running down his spine remembering their talk this morning, and the silent promise he had given her when reluctantly parting from each other to follow their daily chores. The plate forgotten, Teb cleaned his hands on a towel and beckoned Aloy closer, gasping softly when she kissed him deeply. He felt Aloy pressing against him with her full weight, as if she was eager to get every single inch of herself in touch with him. He moaned softly when she rolled her hips against his.

The pleasure ended very suddenly and a muffled whine escaped Teb when she bumped her still equipped armor plate against something very sensitive that should definitely not get in contact with metal.

“Ouch, Aloy, you’re still wearing armor. Careful, please,” Teb chuckled, his voice a little strained. Aloy pulled back, an apologetic smile on her face.

“Oh, sorry, Teb. I forgot.”

“You can’t hug me this closely with all that metal covering you,” he murmured, caressing gently down her cheek.

“In that case I’d better get rid of it,” Aloy replied quietly. Heat shot through Teb at her tone, his loins stirring with interest. He was both shocked and exhilarated to see that darkness in Aloy’s eyes, seeing the rise and fall of her chest coming in a faster rhythm as she pulled her shoulder plates down, let them drop carelessly, followed by her heavy breastplate. Teb watched as her fingers reached for the plates covering her thighs, feeling his mind getting slower as his body started taking over.

He had seen Aloy shedding her armor countless times, often even helping her to get rid of the heavy plates when she came back bone-tired after a long hunt. Even though it had always felt special and intimate to Teb, since she allowed him to help removing her protection, it had never been anything sexual, more a necessity he gladly assisted her with.

Now, it felt endlessly different to Teb, as if Aloy was undressing for him while he watched. She seemed to feel the same about the situation, her gorgeous hazel eyes dark, that sparking fire in them she usually showed after a successful hunt shining brightly, her lips slightly parted. Her gaze didn’t leave his face when she stepped out of her boots and shed her backplate, finally removing her bracers and the thick furs around her collar until she stood before Teb in her light undergarments. It took Aloy only a vague gesture, her hand beckoning him in, and a heartbeat later found herself tangled in Teb’s arms. He moaned against her lips when she kissed him, her tongue tasting of the fruit they had shared earlier. Aloy ground against him, rolled her hips, caused surge after surge of heat to run down Teb’s spine to pool somewhere beyond his belt.

Teb noticed Aloy’s weight shifting, as if she’d prefer to lie down but wasn’t sure how to ask for it, and decided to give her a little impulse. He gently nudged her until they were in eyeshot of the bed, and Aloy immediately took the hint, grabbing his wrist and pulling him over to the bed until they both flopped on the mattress, desperately trying to never lose contact.

Aloy tensed when she felt his erection pressing against her as they lay side by side and Teb withdrew, searching her face to see if she was still comfortable with this even after her first night. Aloy blushed, her eyes flicking down to his hips.

“Another compliment?” she asked quietly, something mischievous in her lopsided grin. Teb just nodded, making her chuckle when he leaned in to kiss her nose.

“Teb, you said you’ve experienced this often while being around me, before… before we were a couple,” she added, careful when speaking the last words as if trying to get a feel for how they behaved on her tongue. “How have you kept this hidden?

Teb smiled, blushing when thinking about all those lonely nights he’d been pining for Aloy, determined to never pressure her but still imagining her hands on his body as he touched himself, and now it was real, too good to be true.

“Well, I… When I wash myself with a lot of cold water it usually quickly goes away,” he answered eventually. “And sometimes, when you’ve not been around for longer, I’ve taken care of this with my hands.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows and shot him a searching glance that morphed into something almost apologetic. “I… I’m sorry you’ve had to rely on that, Teb.”

Teb chuckled softly, hugging her closer. “Aloy, you don’t owe me an apology. Really. I only wanted this with you provided that you want it as well. Besides, it’s something a lot of couples still do even when they have someone to sleep with, when the other is not around. Just to relax.”

At that, Aloy blushed heavily, but Teb could see she was still intrigued, felt it in the tension of her warm hands on his back. She was quiet for a moment, looked him over, then apparently came to a decision.

“Teb… Would you show me how you like to be touched?”

Now it was his turn to feel heat rising in his cheeks, but how could he ever decline an offer from her, when she was just discovering that new spectrum of her sensations? It was impossible, Teb found, and he sat up a little so he could slip his tunic over his head, shed necklaces and belt and then pushed down his pants until he was naked, stretching out next to Aloy. Teb smiled when he saw her gaze roaming over his body, not missing that half-second her tongue came out to wet her lips. She obviously liked what she saw, and it encouraged Teb to shift on his back, supported against some pillows, his palms resting on his thighs with his arousal between.

“I like to be touched like this…” he said quietly, some part of him feeling exposed when he wrapped his fingers around his own length, but not in an unpleasant way, filled by a sensation of profound intimacy as he slowly touched himself while Aloy watched. It felt strangely arousing, seeing Aloy’s eyes darken with desire as Teb showed her what he particularly liked, slow, but firm strokes with an occasional twist of his hollow palm over the tip to spread the moisture collecting there. After a moment, when he already felt that pressure of lust building up in him, Aloy shuffled close against him to kiss him, gently nudging his hand away to take over.

Teb closed his eyes and sank into the kiss, savoring the taste of Aloy’s lips with soft moans escaping him as she touched him, trying to mimic what he had done before. After a long moment Teb rolled over and started pulling up Aloy’s tunic, driven by that urge to lick the salt from every inch of her naked skin. She didn’t resist, lifted her upper body to make it easier for him and wiggled her legs to help when Teb removed her pants as well. As soon as Aloy was naked they both sank into that rush, Aloy letting out a breathy moan that made a shiver running down Teb’s spine when he slipped a hand between her legs, smiling against her lips at the wetness pooling in her heat.

Teb knew Aloy had been unfamiliar with sex her entire life, but now she slowly discovered how good those sensualities were and her development was fascinating to watch. Teb could feel Aloy trying out how to touch him and what felt good, both curious and careful like she always was. Sometimes Teb touched Aloy in a way he knew she liked, like gently cupping her breast with his palm, and despite that knowledge felt her flinch at the contact because of how new it still was to her, only to press into his touch a moment later, hungry for more. Aloy experimented, Teb felt, sometimes being still a little clumsy, like grabbing his length a bit too harshly or leaving marks with her teeth on his neck, but always corrected her actions when he signaled her to. Aloy slowly getting familiar with her own sexuality and sharing that with _him_ , of all people, was both humbling and honoring and Teb would never be able to express just how happy and thankful he was about each and every moment they shared. He’d sworn to himself to be patient, content to wait and watch Aloy’s development, allowing her access to everything he could give just to let her explore her own sensations.

With that in mind, Teb allowed Aloy to gently grab his shoulders to usher him down her body, her cheeks bright red and tiny beads of sweat glistening on her forehead. Teb knew where she wanted him to go, but he wanted to hear it, wanted her to say it, that she desired him in this way.

“Where do you want me to touch you, Aloy?” Teb rumbled, pressing a kiss against the soft skin between her gorgeous, small but firm breasts.

“I want you to kiss me _there_ …,” she replied, her words barely more than a broken whisper. “Like you did yesterday. Please, Teb, I want you…”

Her head careened back when Teb complied, pressing little kisses on her stomach when he made his way down her body. He took a moment just admiring that beautiful curl of red hair in her lap before bending down to kiss her, savoring the needy whine Aloy let out, rolling her hips towards him. When Teb finally gently parted her lips and dragged his tongue over that rosy bud of nerves, Aloy all but cried out, her hand caressing over his head to urge him on, squirming with pleasure.

There was a fire burning inside her that Teb had already felt during their first time, but now it burned even brighter, brought out Aloy’s dominant nature as she slowly discovered what felt good for her and what Teb liked, getting more active, both asking and taking. Teb gladly took on the passive role for Aloy to be free to explore her feelings as she did her first steps in this part of their relationship. He stopped licking her heat when he felt her tensing up under his tongue, rolled on his back next to her and beckoned her on his lap. Aloy all but mounted Teb in one fluid, powerful movement, bent down to kiss her own juices from his lips as she allowed him to slide into her. Teb gently guided her, balanced out her weight as she adapted to the feeling of his full length inside her. That fire in Aloy burned like the sun when she started moving, moaning with pleasure when Teb gently pressed his hand against her sweet spot. He was lost, torn between closing his eyes in pleasure and watching Aloy, seeing her flame-red hair sticking to the sweat on her forehead and her shoulders, her breasts subtly moving with her arching back and her beautiful eyes as she gazed down at him.

Every single nerve in Teb’s body sang just for her as he lay under her, thrusting up into Aloy in just the way she liked, the angle that made her tense up and whine with pleasure. Nothing was sweeter than making her feel like she did, he was hers entirely. Teb couldn’t do anything but follow her movements and _give_ , watching Aloy as she slowly approached that edge, riding out the feeling when he felt her convulsing on him.

He was so close to just telling her, the words threatening to tumble out of his mouth, telling Aloy that he loved her, and only her, something Teb knew would never change for as long as he lived –

Teb managed to tame it down to a broken whisper of her name. Aloy answered as she came, all but breathing his name as she shuddered apart on him, and there was nothing to do for Teb but letting go and follow.

Later, when Teb felt Aloy slowly falling asleep in his arms, bathed in the scent of her sweat and the sweet perfume of her hair, he knew waiting for this had been worth every single moment.


	17. Chapter 17

XVII.

About three weeks passed until Teb and Aloy received an answer from the envoy.

While she waited for a message from the Embrace about the Matriarchs’ attitude towards opening the border to trading, Aloy stayed in Meridian, only setting out to short hunting trips that rarely required her to leave for more than a day. Her newly discovered closeness to Teb tied her to him and made her unwilling to leave, barely allowing her to think about anything else other than his warm breath on her naked skin.

When they shared food or when Teb worked on garments, Aloy often felt something heated creeping in the looks they exchanged, that unspoken knowledge hanging between them of what the other felt like when their very center was exposed. Having sex with Teb was something Aloy slowly grew as familiar with as the touches, the hugs and later the kisses, as if each step towards giving their entire self to each other was getting as easy as breathing. Aloy suspected it was deep trust she was feeling, mingled with that white-hot anticipation glowing in her core when Teb pulled her in and started sucking bruises into the soft skin of her neck, and she was both touched and proud to have the same effect on him. Still, some hidden corner of Aloy’s mind told her that trust wasn’t quite enough to describe it. There was more, something stronger, like a nameless thread connecting them, tying them together even when they were apart. She couldn’t name it, but knew that she deeply enjoyed how it felt, and how it tugged at her heart when she returned to Teb.

Aloy watched herself making progress, learning not only what felt good to her own body, but also to Teb, and how good it was to use that power she had over him, the power to make him come undone under her touch. It was not unlike the exhilaration she felt during risky hunts, when finally discovering the weak spot of a large machine, either bringing it down or overriding it, to be in control. With Teb it felt endlessly sweeter, though, mingled with that thankfulness and appreciation she experienced when he kissed her, held her close or offered her to try something new with that coy, soft smile on his lips. Aloy caught herself giving up her deeply rooted urge to take the lead, allowing Teb to guide her or to show her different positions on their way to explore every aspect of that new connection between them.

After their fourth or fifth night, Teb had gently asked to be on top of her, for a change, and Aloy had allowed it, discovering that even when she was prone and passive under his moving body it could feel overwhelming. From that night on they swapped positions depending on their mood or who felt more tired, welcoming the other to push them over the edge. Initiating their encounters became easy to Aloy when she discovered that a look was enough to make Teb understand, and that she could always say no to his advance when she didn’t feel like it and vice versa, though that case had never occurred so far.

Aloy stopped counting the occasions a simple smile turned into quick breathing and skin pressing on skin.

On the day the message came in, in was raining in Meridian, a warm jungle storm blowing gushes of water though the streets of the city. Aloy was drinking her cup of moon tea after last night’s events, shooting Teb a smile when he returned from washing, still naked and rubbing himself dry with a cloth. She allowed her eyes to wander over his body, smooth skin and pronounced, lean muscles, a trim waist and his firm rear that she’d grown particularly fond of. She watched as Teb got dressed, frowning at the weather outside.

“Standing on the market is going to be fun today,” Aloy remarked sarcastically, grinning at the playfully chiding pout Teb shot her.

“Careful, Aloy, or I might develop a sudden need for Ravager lenses, particularly from those that live out in the open without trees offering shelter,” Teb replied, picking up on her friendly-meant needling.

“You know I’m not afraid to get wet,” Aloy came back, smiling when Teb laughed softly and approached the bed, leaning over the edge until he was within reach of her lips. He kissed her, his tongue gently curling against hers.

“I know, Aloy,” Teb said quietly, his breath warm against her skin. “By the way, I really enjoyed last night. You… you felt so good, that way.”

His words made Aloy blush, evoking those sweet memories that she’d also been thinking of ever since she had woken up. Last night Teb had massaged her scalp while sitting behind her, something they liked to share still even after the approach they had made, despite the chaste simplicity of the gesture. Teb’s hands had wandered lower, kneading her shoulders, her back, until they’d somehow crept around Aloy’s middle to delve between her thighs. Aloy had leaned back into Teb’s embrace, at some point tipping to the side until they were both lying down on their flank, Teb’s body curving against her back, fitting together as perfectly as puzzle pieces. At some point Aloy had felt his arousal pulsing against the small of her back and a moment later their clothing was gone, tossed into a messy heap at the foot of the bed, and Teb was slowly pressing into her heat from behind her, reaching those glowing spots inside her from an entirely new angle until they both came undone with pleasure.

“It was pretty nice,” Aloy joked, her blush and wink showing Teb more than she was required to say out loud, and how much she had enjoyed it too. She savored their kiss when he leaned in once more, then retreated to prepare breakfast for them. Aloy sank back against the pillow for another moment to finish her tea, the taste still bitter but something she had grown used to due to their increasing numbers of intimate encounters.

A loud knock on their door made Aloy turn her head. Teb also looked up from where he was stirring in a pan, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

“You’re not expecting customers?” Aloy asked, telling by his expression that the intrusion wasn’t scheduled.

“No. I wonder who that is,” Teb muttered, striding over to the door. Aloy quickly pulled the blanket higher over her chest since she was still naked, ears sharp so she could hear what was going on.

“Is the Anointed here?” Aloy could hear a stern, loud voice ask, frowning at the title she disliked so much.

“She is, but she’s not available at the moment,” Teb replied.

“I am obliged to speak to her personally,” the voice insisted and Aloy came to the conclusion that going by the gruff tone and accent it must be a guard, probably one of Avad’s Oseram Vanguard.

“Tell him I’m listening, Teb,” Aloy shouted from where she was sitting in bed, knowing that they would hear her. After a short pause the guard spoke again.

“Tell the Anointed the envoy she sent to the Nora lands returned this morning. King Avad awaits her at the palace,” the guard told Teb, sounding a little cranky.

“Aloy, the envoy…” Teb began.

“I heard him, Teb, it’s alright,” Aloy interrupted him, smirking at the guard’s confused tone. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

With that, the guard seemed to consider his task fulfilled and left, the sound of heavy boots on the cobblestones getting quieter. Teb closed the door and returned to Aloy, who had jumped up and got dressed as quickly as she could.

“Aloy, the Matriarchs answered!” he said, an excited smile on his face that verged into something worried when he saw her expression.

“It only means the Nora didn’t shoot her. We don’t know if she managed to talk to them,” Aloy came back, strapping her belt around her hips. It was too early to get excited now, before she knew if the envoy had returned with good or bad news. When Aloy was finished dressing she accepted a small bowl of fried maize and vegetables from Teb and downed in within a few moments. He seemed to sense her urgency and waited by the door, handing her the spear she never left without.

“It’s going to be fine, Aloy,” Teb said, his golden green eyes shining with conviction. “Everything you do turns out for the best, I know that from experience.”

Aloy stopped before heading out, turning to look at him. He meant it with all his heart, she could see, feeling her lips stretch into a touched smile.

“Thank you, Teb. Wish me luck,” she said, leaning up to kiss him once more, shuddering with pleasure when Teb’s warm palm cupped her face, his heartbeat pulsing against hers.

-

As soon as Aloy arrive at the palace, she spotted Zeera, the envoy, still wearing the same armor she set out with weeks ago. Aloy scanned her unconsciously for marks of a fight but didn’t see anything except for some claw marks and the usual amount of dust after crossing the desert, but nothing caused by Nora arrows or spears. Zeera was wearing a fox fur coat that she hadn’t had before, Aloy noticed.

Taking a first deep breath of relief, Aloy approached Zeera and Sun King Avad who both turned and looked at her when she came closer.

“Aloy, you’re here. Very well, Zeera, please repeat your report to her, and don’t leave out anything,” Avad said.

Zeera took a moment to smile at Aloy and offer her a respectful nod. Aloy nodded back, appreciating the gesture but too fidgety with impatience to waste time for courtly politeness.

“I see they allowed you to pass the border, Zeera?” Aloy asked. “I hope under more or less friendly circumstances.”

“They did, Aloy. After descending the mountain range around Daytower and passing the forsaken village I had the first encounter with tribe members in Hunter’s Gathering. There were a number of outlanders so I suspect the Nora there are used to strangers and didn’t mind me. I was first stopped and questioned about my origin when I reached Mother’s Crown, but in both cases the mark Teb made caused your Braves to at least lower their arrows to look at it,” Zeera reported. Aloy nodded at her words.

“Everything that contains the word _mother_ is usually a more traditional Nora settlement, I’ve learned,” she commented, gesturing the envoy to continue.

“At the main gate to the Embrace I’ve had some trouble talking the guards into letting me through. They didn’t attack me but allowing a Carja access was more than they were prepared to do. Mentioning you, Aloy, finally convinced the commanding captain to let me in.”

At that, Aloy smiled. “Was it a young man with dark skin, dreadlocks and a blue triangle on his face? His name is Varl. We’ve been through quite some fights together.”

Zeera nodded. “I think that was his name. He readily took me to the… capital of the Nora. I admit I’ve gotten some unfriendly looks but nobody attacked me. I wore the mark on my outer clothing just to be sure, and everyone seemed to respect it. Finally they took me to the Matriarchs. You were right, Aloy – Teersa certainly is the most… open of the three.”

Aloy made a face, a grin tugging at her lips. “Did Lansra cause you trouble?”

“Only a little. You’ve trailblazed well before, Aloy. They all remembered their agreement and appreciated His Radiance’s quick and well-mannered response.”

Now, Aloy was almost skipping up and down with excitement. “And? Will they open the border for trading or not?”

The corner of Zeera’s lips quirked up. “They will.”

At that, Aloy let out a shout of triumph and almost jumped forward to hug Zeera and Avad, but managed to tame it down to a raised fist. “Yes, finally! It’s been high time.”

“Under the condition that it gets closed again as soon as there’s trouble,” Zeera remarked, causing Aloy to get serious again. “They said they will give their consent to traders coming and leaving, but wait for their reports upon their return to see if the route is safe. There is still a good amount of wariness towards the Sundom, not only because of the Red Raids but also because after the fight with the Metal Devil a lot of Nora didn’t return. The Matriarchs will give it a try. Nothing more.”

Aloy nodded. “I see. When I was there the last time a lot of Braves were looking forward to come to Meridian. Did you meet any of those?”

“Oh, I did. When I was brought to a longhouse to rest and eat quite a number of more… let’s say straight-forward tribe members were peppering me with questions, mostly concerning hunting culture and big game in the Sundom. They are curious to look beyond their borders, which is a good sign,” Zeera said, then smiled again. “One of them, a strong guy named Osric, gave me these furs for the way back, saying I wasn’t appropriately dressed for the cold in the Embrace. They certainly kept me warm.”

“We can expect some Nora visiting Meridian soon, then?” Avad pitched in.

“Yes, but mostly warriors at first, I assume. They’ll check if the road is safe.”

“I can deploy more guards to Morning’s Watch and some to Lone Light,” Avad said. “To make sure they have waypoints to rest and turn to should there be trouble. Let’s hope there won’t be.”

At that, Aloy frowned to herself. That was exactly the point. If there were dangers apart from startled machines on the road the Matriarchs might close the border again, she knew, and Aloy couldn’t be sure if the Nora would stay on the road, get lost or start fights with the Carja guards, or if the Carja guards would readily come to their help should they need it. They got their orders from Avad and Aloy knew his willingness to help was true, but she had witnessed the liberties many guards took when following those orders.

“It’s a start, at least, hopefully a good one,” she summarized to Avad and Zeera, feeling her hopes getting stronger than her doubts.

-

Aloy got reassured in her anticipation about two weeks later, and what doubts she had were scattered. She came back from an errand after having delivered garments and accessories to some of Teb’s customers in Brightmarket on the shore of the lake. Upon entering Meridian Aloy decided to head straight to the market to see if Teb was running his stand, suspecting he would be there because of the cloudless blue sky and the warm sun beckoning the citizens out of their homes and into the streets.

When Aloy walked through the stone arch that led to the market, she was greeted with a sight that made her stop dead in her tracks.

There was a group of people in furs, with dreadlocks, feathers and colorful clay beads, battered machine plates forming armor. They stood in front of Teb’s market stand, talking to him. Aloy had a to blink before realizing it were indeed Nora Braves, in Meridian itself, their weapons sheathed and apparently as at ease as could be expected from them when surrounded by Carja.

When Aloy got closer, she noticed a Carja artisan Teb regularly exchanged resources with standing next to Teb, looking slightly intimidated at the towering Brave in heavy gear in front of him.

“So you’re one of those fancy Carja stitchers Teb told us about? Your clothes are pretty good against fire, I admit, but you really should consider adding more furs to them if you want to sell them in the Embrace, a bunch of foxes maybe. I’ve frozen my ass off in the mountains,” Fren remarked in his usual bolt way, but clearly meant it friendly, something that the artisan seemed not so sure about judging by his shrunken-in posture.

Aloy joined the little group and recognized Osric and the sturdy-built Fren among the Nora, as well as Talan, the warrior that had kept needling Teb for a while. Aloy came to stand next to Teb, for a moment blind and deaf to everything but his beautiful smile when he saw her, the silent, welcoming adoration. Aloy felt the urge to kiss him, but decided that this place was way too crowded for her. She settled for taking Teb’s hand for a moment, their fingers entwining in a short, firm caress.

“Oh, hey Aloy,” Fren greeted her with his booming voice. “So this is where you two have holed up. It’s pretty impressive, I have to say, but damn that heat. My furs are plastered to my skin.”

Aloy grinned when Teb next to her blushed deeply at Fren’s words. “Have you had a safe trip here? Are there more Nora coming?”

“We left another group in Lone Light,” Osric said. “They wanted to stay there for a while and hunt trophies in the area around it.”

“It’s been pretty safe, I guess, but there’s this long road segment between the watchtowers and the city where there’s nobody but a bunch of Snapmaws,” Talan added. “The guards in the towers said we couldn’t sleep there, but at least they gave us some water. Not gonna complain, we’re tough.”

At that, Aloy nodded. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start. More Nora would follow if this group returned with positive words about Meridian and their people. She understood that the guards couldn’t offer shelter, just weapons in case of attacks, and there really was a long distance between Daytower and the next proper settlement.

“The mountains were a nightmare, though,” Fren continued. “That forsaken village gives me the creeps, but the long winding path up the slope almost got inaccessible when the weather turned on us. I think next time, when we’re coming with traders and heavy loads of wares, we’re taking the route around the mountain range, through the north.”

“There’s a gate called Dawn’s Sentinel,” Aloy remarked. “They’ll make sure you have free passage.”

Still, as promising as Fren’s words were, Aloy could only hope that nothing would go wrong on the long run, when more Nora came, also using the route in the north. She could understand they wanted to avoid the mountain range with the former forsaken village that still seemed to spook them, so the longer, but much easier tour around the mountains to Dawn’s Sentinel must seem promising to them. Still, there were no civilized settlements at all except Free Heap, the Oseram outpost outside the Claim, and that place was located a good day’s march from Dawn’s Sentinel in the wrong direction. Everything else was no-man’s-land, wild and untamed, and as sure as Aloy was that experienced hunters like Fren and his companions could take care of themselves, she shouldn’t be sure about Nora merchants, not even thinking of families.

“I’m glad you kept your promise and actually came, Osric,” Teb’s gentle voice startled Aloy out of her thoughts.

“Of course, Teb. We brought you some stuff that we thought you’d miss here, like the rabbit jerky good old Tilda makes and feathers from Embrace birds. And some Nora gear, like arrows. Think we can trade with your scrawny friend here?” Fren came back, directing his last words at the Carja artisan next to Teb. The artisan flinched, obviously not familiar with a culture in which everybody was at least some kind of fighter, so different from the class system in Meridian.

“I’d… very much like to take a look at your wares, Nora,” the artisan said eventually, mustering a smile.

“Also you should go and visit Aidaba in the Hunters Lodge. She sells weapons and often receives arrows from me,” Teb remarked. At the mention of the Lodge, the Braves broke into a collective display of both excitement and bragging about their strength, and Aloy had to grin. The Nora would surely shake up the Lodge a little and she would certainly make sure they were introduced. Now that Talanah was the Sun Hawk, Aloy knew the foreigners were welcome.

Aloy kept listening to the Braves’ conversation with Teb a bit longer. Later she watched as Teb introduced an Oseram trader to Talan and the two started exchanging hunting experiences while the others fanned out to explore the market after deciding to meet in the tavern in the evening. There were some careful distance and warning frowns involved, from both Nora and Carja side, but overall Aloy had the feeling they were getting along relatively well, with sparking curiosity after Aloy’s and Teb’s efforts to teach both cultures a bit more about each other.

When the group of Nora had left the stand, Aloy took Teb’s hand and pulled him aside to a relatively secluded corner in the shadows. She didn’t have to say out loud why her heart was beating with exhilaration and her mind buzzing with the satisfying feeling of accomplishment. She knew Teb understood and felt the same when he allowed her to press him against the wall, her hands cradling the back of his head, and he groaned softly with pleasure when Aloy kissed him passionately.

-

Aloy asked Teb for his key a while later, to leave for their apartment to rest and, as she said, hopefully come up with something edible in the kitchen. After Teb had given her one of the two small keys from the pouch around his neck, she kissed his cheek and walked away. Teb talked to some customers, collected their payment and found himself alone at the stand for a moment until Fren came sauntering over to lean against the wall next to him.

A strong elbow poked Teb in the ribs, friendly-meant but surely to leave a bruise.

“So, you two have not only holed up, but hooked up as well, huh?” Fren slurred conspiratorially, shooting Teb a dirty grin. “You got something going on with Aloy, Teb?”

Teb blushed, reminded that there were only a few things that an experienced tracker like Fren would miss, and watching him and Aloy kiss obviously wasn’t one of them. He decided he had nothing to hide, but kept his voice down.

“Aloy and I live together. She hunts machine resources for me and I offer her shelter and food and such. We’ve grown to be a couple, over time.”

“ _And such,_ yeah, got it,” Fren chuckled. “You two seem quite smitten together, you know?”

Again, Teb blushed, glad that Fren seemed to refrain from dirtier jokes for now. “I’m very happy with Aloy. Really, I couldn’t ask for more. She is just wonderful.”

“Did she let you have a go at her honeypot already?”

Teb flinched so hard he almost dropped the folded dress he had been holding. So much for refraining from dirty jokes. That certainly was _not_ how Teb saw the wonderful intimacies he shared with the love of his life, as if having sex with her was some trophy to boast with, but he had grown up with the raunchy humor most hunters liked.

“We… have gotten very close, yes.”

Fren let out a knowing, dirty laugh and poked Teb with his elbow again. Teb smiled carefully, knowing that Fren meant it entirely friendly despite his blunt demeanor.

“That’s very nice for you, buddy. Proud of you. Aloy’s a good catch.”

Teb’s heart beat faster. “I know.”

Suddenly, Fren’s bushy eyebrows furrowed and he looked thoughtful. “You… you’re gonna ask her to be your mate, Teb? Not sure if you can get a Mate Blessing here in Meridian. No chance the Matriarchs are going to travel the distance over the border.”

Teb sighed. He’d been thinking about that as well, and come to the conclusion that it was just a ritual, after all, and didn’t change the way he felt for Aloy.

“I guess it’s not going to be possible with the Nora tradition, and I doubt Carja bonding works for Nora. But knowing Aloy I’d guess she’d prefer to remain untouched by all those bonding rituals. She is a free spirit and I’m alright with that. I know she’ll stay with me, with or without a Mate Blessing,” Teb answered.

Fren nodded. “Well, ask her what she thinks about it some time, then.”

Teb turned his head and looked at him, then averted his eyes, unconsciously clenching his hands. He’d been toying with the thought of confessing his love to Aloy many times, but always held back by a strange, subtle doubt deep inside him. Something told him that such an open display of ultimate devotion could pressure Aloy, cornering her with something she wasn’t prepared to commit to yet. Teb wasn’t afraid that she would tell him that she didn’t love him; he knew she had very strong feelings for him, expressed by body language and trust.

He was afraid that if he confessed his love, Aloy wouldn’t answer at all.

“Maybe one day, Fren. We are very happy together, and I couldn’t be more thankful for her company,” Teb said, and he meant it with all his heart.

-

“Sorry, Aloy. That was the last strip of rabbit jerky we had,” Teb apologized, showing Aloy the empty container. Aloy groaned in frustration.

“A shame. It was a treat.”

“Yeah, I liked it too. But you know what, Fren will return to Meridian in a few weeks if the weather plays along, and I asked him to bring us a larger package next time,” Teb answered.

“Good.”

With that, Aloy leaned back against the pillows on the bed she was resting on and continued fletching an arrow while Teb busied himself with stashing away the meat Aloy had brought back from her hunt earlier. The sun slowly sank outside and Aloy was glad to be back in their comfortable home, her stomach pleasantly full with the roasted fish Teb had cooked for them earlier and warmed by a fur blanket draped over her legs as she worked. She knew the winter was about to end in the Sacred Lands far in the mountains, bringing last storms with it before spring came, but the change of seasons in the Carja Heartland was different. The seasons were more subtle and less stark in difference, characterized by a change of drier, warmer phases with wet, stormy phases that never brought snow with them. Meridian’s climate had seen a longer wet phase and Aloy was glad she could rest in their home after getting soaked in the rain.

Several weeks had passed since the first time Nora had come to Meridian to trade and discover the city, and Aloy was glad that since then, more had followed. Not only Braves like Osric and Fren had made their way to Meridian, but also merchants and makers, bringing resources from the Embrace to Teb and taking the opportunity to browse the markets for items to bring back. Aloy had even seen Carja merchants venturing into the Nora territory to trade, only daring to go as far as Mother’s Crown but still finding willing customers there anticipating their exotic wares. Aloy couldn’t be more thrilled about the trading trail working so well and the positive resonance Teb received when exchanging gossip with other merchants in the market.

Still, Aloy had noticed a striking absence of Nora in the Carja lands as of lately, not having seen any in the market for at least a few days.

“Teb, you didn’t meet any tribe members today, by any chance?” she asked Teb, waiting for him to come over to join her on the bed.

“No, I haven’t. Don’t look so gloomy, Aloy, I’m sure it’s because of the storms in the mountains. Either it delays them or they had to take the longer route north. There will be more soon, I think, after how well it worked. Shirah from the cloth stand next to me told me the Nora had bought all her wares after she went to the Embrace and she’ll gladly go there again soon,” Teb reassured her, placing a hand on her knee.

Aloy smiled, appreciating his attempt to soothe her worries. She knew she was probably overthinking and chalked it up to her deeply rooted urge to be in control of the situation even though this was something the Nora and the other tribes had to settle themselves as they slowly grew closer. Aloy couldn’t force them to close the distance at once, having to watch instead of acting after initiating everything.

“You already did more anyone could ask for, Aloy,” Teb added softly, as if reading her mind. Aloy tilted her head and held his gaze, touched by the honest shine in his eyes. She sighed and set the arrow aside. She knew he was right, and even if she couldn’t shake her instincts telling her that something was fishy, she relented and lifted an arm to beckon Teb closer to her. He gladly did, settling against her side to kiss her.

After a moment, Aloy felt her uneasiness bleeding away from her, melting into Teb’s embrace and the taste of his lips. She pulled him closer, raising an eyebrow when he rested his weight on top of her, never breaking their kiss.

“You smell nice, Teb,” Aloy purred, smiling when Teb chuckled against her cheek.

“I don’t, I’ve been stitching all day,” he came back, his voice husky.

“You do. You smell of leather and that herbal sap you use to attach feathers and ground-up minerals, and honey,” Aloy came back, pressing her nose into the crook of Teb’s neck to inhale his scent. He laughed softly and settled between her legs. Aloy smirked wider when she felt his excitement pressing against the inside of her thigh.

“My beautiful Aloy…” Teb murmured in her ear, sounding utterly lost, and as gladly as Aloy would have given in to his advances she gently pushed back so she could look at him.

“Teb, it’s not the best moment, really. I would have liked to, but my bleeding hasn’t stopped yet. Perfect timing, as always,” she said apologetically, and meant it.

Teb immediately rolled from her stomach and instead settled by her side. When he looked her over there was no disappointment whatsoever in his eyes and he gently placed a palm on her abdomen.

“Are you still hurting? Would you like me to make you a tea, or massage your stomach?” Teb asked, making Aloy smile. It hadn’t taken him long since their first night to grow accustomed to her moon cycle and he never acted shy about it, often trying to comfort her when she was experiencing cramps or headaches. Not that Aloy needed help with taking care of her body’s needs, but when her cramps were particularly bad she appreciated Teb’s gentle compassion way too much to decline.

“It’s not painful right now, Teb. Thank you,” she said. He nodded, looking relieved, but Aloy didn’t miss the longing shine in his eyes and his dark pupils flicking down over her body. She grinned widely when he blushed upon realizing she knew exactly what he was asking for.

“I’m really sorry, Teb. You know I’d like to,” she said softly, reaching out to caress his cheek. Teb pressed into the touch.

“Aloy, would you… Would you use your hands to give me pleasure, maybe…? If you don’t mind,” Teb all but whispered, his breath warm against her lips when he leaned in to kiss her. Aloy savored the kiss for a moment, but then pulled back to look at him.

“Of course I can, but that’s not going to make you feel relieved, is it?”

“Oh, it is,” Teb came back with that half coy, half flirty smile on his face. “You can make me finish only with your hands.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows. She’d never done that before, even though she knew that Teb certainly could tip her over the edge only by using his fingers and his tongue, but she’d only ever made him finish with her body, not her hands. It intrigued Aloy, though, to see if she could do the same as he often did for her before entering her to give her pleasure a second time.

Instead of answering Aloy pulled Teb’s tunic up to reveal his upper body, which earned her a gentle, affectionate smile. A soft gasp escaped Teb when Aloy gently ushered him backwards until he was lying on his back, leaning against some pillows. She could feel a subtle tremble in his muscles when she undid the ties of his pants and pulled them down. His erection was pink and hard against his stomach, a familiar sight for Aloy after all the encounters they had shared over time and something she had grown to find enticing and beautiful. She smiled at Teb as she settled by his side, taking in his naked, lean form for a moment and savoring the desire radiating from his eyes, then gently wrapped her hand around him.

Aloy felt her own core glowing with that sweet hunger when Teb tipped his head back and moaned softly, the sight of his pleasure enough to excite her as well. She smiled when his arousal pulsed in her grip and she slightly enhanced the pressure, caressing him with slow, firm strokes. Occasionally she swiped the hollow of her palm over the warm tip to spread the clear liquid that collected there, making her movements smoother and causing Teb to respond with peaking eyebrows. She allowed him to enjoy her caresses for a long while and watched him slump like molten wax under her touch as well as slowly growing tense as a bowstring from his increasing excitement. No matter how often Aloy saw Teb getting caught up in their closeness, she knew she would never grow tired of watching his face when he moaned, his elegant curved lips slightly parted, that blush spreading over his cheeks and his eyebrows drawn together in a mixture of frustration and bliss.

Driven by that hunger that Aloy had grown to enjoy, readily giving in when they shared a bed, she started gently running a fingertip over the smooth skin of Teb’s shaft rather than using her entire hand to caress him. She’d grown accustomed to seeing his body like this, appreciated it even, a counterpart to her feminine body with its very own beauty. He caught his breath as she slowed down her touch, smiling at her.

“Teb, can I…” Aloy asked suddenly, that warm glow in her core taking over. “… when you kiss me where I like it most… Can I do the same for you? Think you would enjoy that?”

Teb blinked at her incredulously, opened his mouth to speak and closed it again. Aloy knew by his expression exactly what he was thinking, how close he was to reassure her that it wasn’t necessary and just how much he wanted it.

“Aloy, you don’t have to…”

Aloy shot him a lopsided smirk, feeling her heat surging through her. “I know. But I also know that your expression counts as a _yes_ , Teb.”

Teb attempted to protest weakly but didn’t succeed. Instead, Aloy shot him another gentle glance, smiling when she saw his almost black eyes, settled down comfortably and slowly bent down. She knew this was a thing many people did for their male partners from accidentally eavesdropping on them discussing their amorous adventures, and even if she wasn’t sure if she liked it she knew Teb well enough to at least try.

Aloy tentatively kissed his shaft, shocked at how warm and soft it was against her lips. Even this short contact made Teb choke out a broken whine and she felt his legs twitching. Encouraged, Aloy shot Teb a short wink and continued kissing her way up his shaft until reaching the tip, his perfectly smooth skin getting warmer the higher she got. The tip itself was fever-hot and slightly wet from her earlier caress. When Aloy carefully kissed it Teb all but cried out, trying and failing to muffle the sounds he made. His length had only a faint taste since he washed every day, a hint of salt and that masculine scent Aloy had grown used to during their encounters. It was strangely enticing and encouraged Aloy to try and gently close her lips over his tip. Teb’s reaction, a desperate little moan and a whisper of her name sent a surge of pleasure down her spine and she tried to take him in a little further.

Teb at least struggled to stay perfectly still, only reaching down to gently caress her hair but not pressing her down, but he still was so far lost in arousal that his hips jerked up out of their own will deeper inside her mouth, and Aloy found that she didn’t quite like the sensation of her jaws held open in this position and her mouth filled. She pulled back, gazing up at Teb with an apologetic expression.

“It’s… it’s alright Aloy, you don’t have to take me in. Those kisses from before and your tongue are all I need, really,” he gasped, his voice husky, understanding her without words as always. In his eyes Aloy could see that he meant it, despite the lust darkening his pupils still concerned about her comfort.

Deeply touched, Aloy nodded and continued her caresses, using her hand to firmly stroke his shaft while pressing soft kisses against his tip. Teb tilted his head back and squirmed under her, moaning hoarsely when Aloy dragged the flat of her tongue over his length. He deeply enjoyed that combination, she found, feeling her own heat pulse with arousal as she experimented with what he liked, which spots to kiss and lick to lure more of those sweet sounds of bliss out of him. When Aloy not only kissed but also gently sucked that soft, pink patch of skin just below his tip Teb clenched his hands in the blanket he lay on, his hips jerking erratically in Aloy’s firm grip. He was gorgeous that way, sweat glistening on his skin, smooth and unmarred except for that deep, pale scar on his ribcage from the day the Eclipse attacked Mother’s Heart and injured him. Aloy fondly ran a hand over the scar that always reminded her of Teb’s very own courage while keeping up her caresses with the other, using her fingers, tongue and lips to slowly work Teb up to ecstasy.

“Aloy, I’m close…” he gasped at some point, his hand shaking when he gently caressed down her cheek as Aloy lifted her head to look at him. She drew her face back just enough, feeling that white-hot glow of arousal pulsing inside her as she continued her attentions with her hand to finish him. Teb arched his back, trembling erratically, and with a broken whisper of her name he released, his pleasure spreading over his stomach in thick, wet bursts.

Aloy managed to keep up her caresses despite her surprise at seeing how much seed it actually was, never having seen it happening outside of her. Feeling the pulse of his erection while watching him was strangely arousing and Aloy basked in the view of Teb as he rode out his height, slowly shuddering to a state of boneless, breathless relaxation.

“Aloy…” he whispered, reaching out for her. Aloy smiled and crawled up over him, careful not to get in touch with the mess she had made on his stomach. Settling by his side, she shot him a proud smirk and sealed his drowsy smile with a kiss.

“Is it always that much?” she asked, looking at the thin trail of milky droplets decorating Teb’s belly.

“Roughly,” Teb breathed, eyes closed and his head laid back, an utterly serene expression on his face that made Aloy grin.

“Telling by the noise you made you enjoyed it a lot, Teb,” she remarked, pressing a kiss against his cheek when he nodded enthusiastically.

“Thank you, Aloy. I feel much better,” Teb murmured, turning to kiss her lips. “I should really get up and clean myself…”

He halted in his attempt to sit up when Aloy gently pressed his shoulder back on the bed.

“Let me do that for you. You’ve done enough cleaning up after me,” she said and slipped from the bed to fetch a wet cloth from their washbowl. Teb usually did most of the household and Aloy was aware of all the occasions in which she’d stomped into the apartment dripping either with rain, mud, machine oil or everything at once. Teb never complained and always made sure she got to rest after coming back from a hunt, taking care of the mess she left behind. Taking care of him now was only fair.

Aloy carefully wiped the sticky liquid from Teb’s lean stomach until he was clean and covered him in a blanket, huddling in close to him. Teb cradled her against his side, eyes closed and his nose pressed into her copper-red braids as if there was no place in the world he’d rather be. Aloy listened to the rain pelting against the closed balcony doors, enveloped by Teb’s comforting scent. His pleased drowsiness was contagious, she found, feeling her eyes getting heavy and the soft drum of his heartbeat lulling her into a warm state of sleepiness.

“Aloy…?” Teb whispered suddenly, causing her to open her eyes to look at him.

“Yes?”

Teb blinked and closed his mouth again. His golden-green eyes brimmed with a nameless ache, as if there was something weighing heavily on his mind that he didn’t dare to shape into words. As soon as it had appeared it was gone, just a flicker of emotion. Aloy blinked at him, didn’t quite know what to make of it. Teb smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead, breaking the spell.

“How about a tea now?” he asked casually. Aloy searched his face but only found his usual open, soft gentleness. She knew Teb’s body language as well as his voice and felt him relax after tensing up for a moment, not sure what had caused it but sure that he was fine. Now that he mentioned it, Aloy actually felt her abdomen hurting a bit, and she decided to push her thoughts aside in favor of simply enjoying their content togetherness some more.

“My damn womb just decided to play up again, so yes to the tea,” she said. A few moments later they lounged under the blanket again, Aloy sipping her herbal tea and Teb nestling his head against hers.

They both got startled violently out of their blissful drowsiness when somebody heavily knocked on the door. The knocking didn’t stop, got louder and more urgent. Aloy exchanged an alarmed look with Teb and got up since she was the only one dressed.

While she headed to the door she heard Teb bustling about behind her as he fetched himself some clothes, her head tumbling with a presentiment of bad news.

Aloy’s heart sank to her boots when she opened the door and saw the Oseram guard, dripping with rain and gasping for breath as if he’d been running.

“What happened?” Aloy asked, frowning, not wanting to ask but knowing she had to.

“A Nora hunter came back, bleeding, barely made it. Said there were attacks, ambushing the trading trail at the border. People got killed. The injured hunter is at the palace,” the guard gasped, stepping aside to signal her to follow. “His Radiance requires your presence.”

“I’ll be right there,” Aloy said mechanically, feeling a dark hollow fill her stomach.


	18. Chapter 18

XVIII.

Aloy jogged behind the guard though the rain over the bridge that led to the palace. Teb followed them after having hastily dressed, and even though he wasn’t as fast as her and forced her to go slower than she could have, Aloy deeply appreciated his company. His calm presence always made her feel soothed and more at ease.

 _Why do I have the feeling I’m going to be in dire need of that soon?_ she mused darkly, wiping the rain off her face when it stung in her eyes.

The guard, Aloy and Teb reached Avad and Blameless Marad, who stood under the pavilion. Candles and lanterns as well as a burning brazier provided some light and warmth against the rising darkness and the roof sheltered them from the pouring rain, but it didn’t help to make the sight of the injured Nora hunter slumped heavily on an ornate bench any less miserable.

A Carja healer was applying a bandage around his head when Aloy stepped closer, the Brave’s face concealed by a layer of dried blood. She exchanged a look with Avad who mirrored the worry in her expression. In his eyes Aloy also saw the shared knowledge that this might be the death sentence to their efforts to bring the Sundom and the Scared Lands closer together, and it made her chest clench painfully.

Teb bustled over to the Brave and placed a hand on his shoulder while Aloy addressed Avad.

“What happened? How did he get here?”

“He got picked up by guards on the northern bridge, collapsing from his loss of blood. His group of fellow Nora has been attacked. That’s all we know so far, Aloy. You can ask him yourself as soon as he’s ready to speak,” Avad said.

Aloy nodded and turned to the Brave. Teb was helping the healer to clean his wounds, gently wiping blood from his face so the healer could bandage a bad gash running across the man’s forehead. When they were done and the blood was gone, Aloy almost gasped as a familiar face became visible.

“Osric, it’s you. Can you talk?” Aloy asked the hunter, squatting in front of him so they were on eye level. Osric groaned, but managed to open hazy eyes.

“We were on our way back from Lone Light to Dawn’s Sentinel. The mountains of Daytower have gone too stormy to pass so we took the longer route north. There have been reports of groups of people moving about in the desert away from the road, but we were almost twenty warriors and we thought we could take on anything. Some Carja traders with business in the Embrace came with us. There’s this long road between Greatrun and Dawn’s Sentinel with absolutely nobody around but dead trees and scrap metal, so we thought, but that’s where they attacked us,” Osric reported, breaking off to cough. Teb handed him a cup of water that he downed in one go.

“Osric, who attacked you?” Aloy asked quietly. She remembered her and Teb’s encounter with the Thunderjaw and already had a horrible notion of what the answer might be. Osric confirmed it.

“There was an ambush of bandits, fiercer than I have ever seen them. They obviously were after resources, valuables and food and willing to kill everyone in their way to get it. The traders got killed and about six of my fellow Braves, All-Mother bless their souls. They fought bravely but the bandits outnumbered us. They died with their spears in hands.”

“Bandits… So they are regrouping, and bold enough to waylay travelers,” Aloy repeated bitterly, frowning to herself. She knew it would have been naïve to assume the bandits were gone entirely after Nil’s and her efforts, but she hadn’t expected them to be this reckless.

“What happened to the surviving hunters, Osric?” Teb wanted to know.

Osric coughed again before he spoke. “About some, I don’t know. The bandits took them away, or maybe they fled and scattered, or got killed later. Most others retreated back to the Embrace. One of the Carja survived, I think, and the Braves promised to bring him to the next watchtower.”

“Osric, what… what about Fren?” Teb asked quietly.

“Fren is among the dead. His soul is with All-Mother now,” Osric replied, sounding defeated.

Teb’s eyebrows peaked and he reached out to place a hand on Osric’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Osric. I liked him. And I know you were close.”

Osric nodded bitterly. “It was a disaster, really. Never seen so many bandits before, with good weapons, not just pointy sticks.”

“That means they have a hideout, to gather resources and plan ambushes,” Aloy concluded grimly. “If they can hide by the road and wait for people on the trading trail it means their camp should be nearby. Avad, we need to do something! We need soldiers to find and clear out the bandits, or there will be more victims.”

Sun-King Avad had been listening while Aloy spoke to the injured hunter, but when she turned to him and saw his remorseful expression her heart sank.

“Aloy, as much as I would like to help, I can’t spare any more soldiers. I’ve already deployed more to man the watchtowers than I should. There’s still a threatening civil war at the Shadow Carja border and hundreds of refugees that need immediate help, food and shelter,” Avad explained, sounding miserable.

“Avad, if we don’t do anything, the border will be closed again and the Matriarchs in the Embrace will use it as an excuse to seal it off forever!” Aloy pressed on. “Of course there are dangers on the roads but a bandit camp this large and vicious we can’t allow, or they’ll spread and kill even more innocents.”

“I’m afraid I can’t give you the army you want, Aloy,” Avad said sadly.

Despite his genuinely honest concern, Aloy felt anger boiling up inside her. She hadn’t battled her way through all those tiring discussions and backwards-thinking pigheads only to let her efforts be ruined by a bunch of careless raiders, so close before the Nora and Carja finally got past their long animosities.

“Then I’ll go and wipe them out alone,” she growled.

Aloy flinched when suddenly Teb came rushing in, placing his palm on her arm.

“Aloy, no! You can’t do that, you’ll get hurt! I know you’ve fought bandit camps before, but if these are stronger and better equipped than the others… Remember the ones that tried to kill the Thunderjaw? They are reckless, and there are so many… Please don’t,” Teb pleaded, quietly but urgently. His touch was warm and his eyes sparked, grounding her despite her anger.

“I’ve overcome worse odds, Teb,” Aloy replied more calmly, already feeling her anger bleeding away.

“I know, Aloy. Just be careful, for me. Can’t you find help somewhere else?” Teb all but whispered, his eyes boring straight into her soul. She swallowed, reeling from an onslaught of emotions elicited by his devoted expression. His suggestion gave her a sudden idea.

“How about Erend? I know he’s still in the Claim, but he’s never let me down. I’m sure he would help. He also happens to owe me a favor,” Aloy asked Avad.

The King nodded. “The Oseram are valuable allies and most of them would gladly rally behind you. About you borrowing Erend and the Vanguard, I give my consent. If you can talk him into following you.”

“Leave that to me,” Aloy came back, now feeling determination burning away the anger.

“Aloy. The bandits will come back, I’m afraid, no matter whether you wipe out their hideout or not,” Blameless Marad chimed in. “I’m afraid it is possible that we’ll have to face the fact that this road is just too dangerous to travel on. It’s no-man’s-land, no settlements around, and I can’t imagine any Carja wanting to settle there, so close to the Nora border and that far in the wilds.”

“I… will need to find a solution about that too, then,” Aloy replied grimly. She felt Teb touching her arm again to get her attention.

“Didn’t you mention that Oseram woman, who makes canons? I remember meeting her when I prepared supplies for the battle at the Spire. Petra, was that her name? Doesn’t she run an Oseram settlement in about the same area?” he said.

“Teb, that’s it! Petra is there as well, and she’s had trouble with bandits before,” Aloy exclaimed excitedly. “Teb, you’re a genius. I’ll ask her for help. Her support could make the difference.”

Teb blushed, an adorable pink spreading over his smile at Aloy’s praise. She halted for just a moment to return his smile to reassure him, then turned back to Avad.

“I will go to Free Heap first, then, to meet Petra and see if she’s willing to help in some way. And I’ll scout out the area, see where the bandits are hiding, where their camp is and how many there are. Alone I can move more silently and get us a strategic advantage when I come back with Erend and his warriors,” Aloy suggested firmly.

Avad thought it through for a moment, but then nodded. “First Free Heap, then the Claim.  I wish you luck, Aloy. Again, I’m very sorry I can’t give you my soldiers. I hope you know the reasons are not because I lack care or motivation. You can have my Vanguard’s captain, weapons and supplies, everything you ask for if you need it.”

“It’s alright, Avad. I understand. Besides, drawing your men back from the Shadow Carja border all the way through the Rustwash desert will take too long. We need to act now, before the bandits expand their territory,” Aloy answered, and meant it.

“What about Osric?” Teb wanted to know, coming to stand next to the Nora hunter.

“Well, if you ask me, I’d like to return to the Embrace, as soon as I can walk again,” Osric said. “If the weather allows it I’ll just take the route through the mountains, not through the dammed bandit territory.”

“I could offer you to take Zeera with you, Nora,” Avad said. “She’s the Carja envoy we sent to your Matriarchs recently. She is familiar with the route, and besides she can carry a message to the Matriarchs explaining our plan to stop the bandits. Not that I don’t trust in your abilities, Osric, but four eyes see more than two.”

At the mention of Zeera, Osric’s hazy eyes brightened somewhat. “Oh, I remember her! Tanned skin, black hair, green eyes, wasn’t it? I’ve seen her fight. Wouldn’t mind if she joins.”

Aloy noticed the corner of Teb’s lips quirking up into a little smirk and briefly asked herself if he knew more than she did, but then remembered Avad’s words.

“Avad, preparing a message is a good idea. We have to let the Matriarchs know the attacks couldn’t have been anticipated, and that we’ll do everything in our power to make the trading trail safe, once and for all,” Aloy added firmly.

With that, Avad took her and Marad to the side so they could set up another message to the Matriarchs. Teb stayed with Osric and the healer. Later Aloy watched as the healer escorted Osric into the palace, assuming so he could get some rest and tend to his injuries. She appreciated the gesture, since it would show him that King Avad really wanted to help even if he lacked the soldiers at the moment, and Osric telling the Matriarchs as much upon returning to them would be valuable to stop Lansra in her efforts of sealing the border forever. As soon as Aloy and Avad were done with the message, she left the remaining diplomatic business to Marad and the king and went to look for Teb.

Aloy found him by an open palace door, talking quietly to Osric who was lounging on a wide bed with bandages around his arm and forehead. Teb bid the hunter goodbye and left the palace together with her. It was still raining and the sun had set fully. Aloy was bone-tired and just longed to finally go to bed, but knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.

As if Teb had read her mind, he looped an arm around her waist while they walked.

“It’s going to be okay, Aloy. Somehow. I know you’ll find a way, you always do.”

Aloy mustered a smile, touched by the genuine trust in his expression. She’d never had anyone who believed in her as firmly as Teb did, not even Rost. Rost had been like a father to her, but in his own harsh, pragmatic way, rather encouraging her to see things how they were no matter how miserable that was. Aloy had grown up to learn to think things through realistically, but despite Rost’s teachings, or maybe even because of them, as a way of protesting, developed the tendency to tackle the most impossible odds as she tried to overcome almost insoluble tasks. Teb on the other hand always kept Aloy grounded but never told her to stop, only expressed his worry, making sure to even out the way and clear her head a little before encouraging her to trust in her skills and reassuring her that he believed in her, no matter what.

Aloy had never known just how much she had longed for the kind of support Teb offered her, and just how good it felt to have him by her side.

She stopped dead in her steps and turned to him. When Teb opened his mouth to ask her why she had stopped Aloy leaned up and pressed her lips against his, leaning up against his body in a firm embrace. Teb moaned with surprise but then returned the kiss, taking her in readily. The rain pelted down on them and ran coldly over their faces, their blissfully closed eyes and their lips as they kissed, but Aloy didn’t care. She poured everything she couldn’t say into the kiss, all her trust and her fondness and the deep, profound thankfulness she felt for Teb, and she hoped with all her heart that he understood.

-

As much as Aloy would have wanted to leave for Free Heap right away, she realized she had a lot of ammunition to prepare and took a few days to complete her gear. It hadn’t been necessary to fight human enemies for a long time, something she was utterly thankful for, but if she was going to scout out the area she suspected the bandits to hide in she would need other ammunition than what she used to kill machines.

Teb helped Aloy preparing her journey by crafting sharpshot arrows for her and brewing herbs up as medicine. They were done with their preparations three days after finding the injured Osric.

“You’re going to head out tomorrow, aren’t you?” Teb asked carefully while performing some last touches on Lady Kharissa’s finished gowns.

Aloy nodded. “As soon as the sun rises. Don’t look so gloomy, Teb. It’s just scouting and visiting Petra in Free Heap. Then I’ll come back and prepare to set out to find Erend and his big weapons. I promise I’m trying to avoid a fight and return with all my limbs attached. Okay?”

Teb smiled. “Okay.”

Aloy believed his words, but still felt the tension betraying his worry in the desperate press of his lips when she kissed him. When she pulled back, she came to stand by his side and looked the commissioned gown over. It had turned out beautifully, she found, after Teb had been working on it for weeks. Brightly colored red and turquoise silks formed an elegant dress with tapered sleeves and flowing ribbons, decorated with stylized Nora ornaments and black fur trimmings. What impressed Aloy most was the lady’s little daughter’s dress, much smaller in size but the same style like a doll version of the first one.

Aloy smiled and ran a finger down the feather decoration, recognizing the turkey feather the little girl had liked so much during her last visit.

“Lady Kharissa and her daughter are coming this evening to try them on?” she asked.

“Yes. Oh, I hope they’ll like them,” Teb replied, carefully arranging a braided copper seam. “It’s been so much work and Lady Kharissa is horribly picky.”

“Teb, your dresses are gorgeous and if she doesn’t see that at the first glance she’s either blind or has a horrible taste and doesn’t deserve to wear your work,” Aloy said firmly, grinning when Teb burst into laughter. The soft sound of it made her heart beat faster, chasing away her worries for a moment.

“Thanks, Aloy,” he said gently, leaning in to kiss her once more. Aloy complied readily, allowing him to lick his way into her mouth. His tongue curled against hers and made her moan softly, louder when Teb’s finger crawled into her hair and puller her closer.

“A shame we don’t have the entire evening for us,” Aloy murmured against Teb’s lips. Teb hummed in agreement, tilted his head a little and kissed her again.

Before the Carja noble and her daughter arrived, Aloy left the apartment once more to stock up on a few last resources on the market, mostly to get blaze and dried meat as well as a salve made from nut oil and herbs to protect her skin against the heat in the desert. The sun sank in a colorful burst of pink and orange above Meridian, people heading home or towards the taverns to end the day with drinks and laughter. Aloy felt a painful little sting in her chest when she remembered the occasions Nora visitors had joined the other tribes in the taverns, tentatively at first, always a hand on their spears, later more jovially, sharing stories and jokes over food and distilled maize spirit.

 _And it won’t be the only times Nora come to the Sundom for friendly reasons_ , Aloy thought grimly. _I won’t allow it._

When Aloy got back to the apartment, she checked the door with her focus and saw the silhouettes of three people inside. So Teb’s customers were there already, Lady Kharissa and Khadi, her daughter. Aloy entered quietly to not disturb Teb should he be discussing payments or other delicate topics and placed her package by the heap of travel gear and weapons piled up next to the door.

When Aloy looked around the workshop she spotted Lady Kharissa, already wearing the dress. It looked gorgeous on her, accentuating the smooth curves of her body in just the right places. Still she looked rather critical as she wandered about, regarding herself from different angles. Aloy rolled her eyes and crossed the workshop to reach the kitchen corner.

“Hold the brush with your index finger and thumb, like this,” Aloy suddenly heard Teb saying, stopping next to their bed. She turned around and spotted him at the workbench, sitting on a stool with Khadi on his lap. He was reaching around the little girl to guide her hands as she held one of his fine paintbrushes. The girl had her thin eyebrows drawn together in an almost comedic expression of deep concentration as she dipped the brush first into dark blue paint and then carefully painted a spiral on a plain clay bead in front of her. Teb smiled when she managed to create a rather messy, but more or less spiral-shaped pattern.

“Look, Teb, I did it!” Khadi exclaimed excitedly when she had completed her task, turning around and up to look at him in triumph.

“Good, Khadi. It’s very pretty for your first attempt. Let’s add another color, shall we?” Teb came back, his eyes shining with that gentle mirth Aloy had come to like so much.

“I like the dark red here.”

“Alright, then. Let me wash the brush and then you can paint another pattern,” Teb explained, taking the brush from her to clean it in a cup of water while Khadi watched his every movement with so much focus as if seeing him work was the most interesting thing in the world. She painted another rickety spiral on the bead, giggling with pride when she was done and Teb gently praised her work.

Again, like the last time, seeing Teb interacting with the little girl touched some spot in Aloy that felt still strange to her, the easy, patient way he had around the child and how trusting and open she responded to him. Aloy felt herself blush, but couldn’t take her eyes away from the two when Teb showed Khadi how to place little dots on the bead by turning the brush around and using the point of the handle dipped in paint, causing the girl to look at the emerging pattern with an expression of amazement on her face. When Teb thread the bead on a string to fashion it into a necklace for Khadi she laughed, her face beaming with pride at her self-made pendant. Teb just smiled his warm, gentle smile when she skittered off to show her mother the bead.

Shaking her head, Aloy went to the kitchen and found two skinned rabbits, their stomachs already stuffed with onions and herbs. Aloy skewered them and placed them over the fire to prepare dinner for later. Every now and then she dribbled some garlic butter over the rabbits with a spoon, waiting for the meat to turn golden and crispy. While she did so, she caught herself craning her head to listen to Teb’s soft voice talking to Khadi and her excited response. After a while, Lady Kharissa seemed to have decided that the gown was just good enough for her – something that made Aloy’s hands itching to reach for her spear as a silent warning – and Khadi tried her own dress as well.

The little girl threw her arms around Teb after putting it on, her thanks muffled as she pressed her face against his stomach in excitement about how pretty she looked. Aloy’s chest ached when Teb just laughed and hugged the little girl back, petting her dark hair. She focused on preparing the roasted rabbits again while Teb’s customer paid the gowns and Teb folded and wrapped them for transport. When she finally heard the door close as the Carja noble and her daughter left and Teb stepped up behind her to kiss the back of her neck, she let out a soft breath, glad to be alone with him.

“You seem to like the kid,” Aloy remarked quietly, just to see how Teb thought about his interaction with the little girl.

Teb chuckled. “I do. I like children in general. They’re so curious, and so untouched by feuds and grudges between tribes or rules on how people should behave,” he said quietly, pressing another kiss against Aloy’s neck that made her shiver. “Khadi is particularly nice, despite her tricky mother.”

Aloy laughed softly and turned around to hug him. She found he was right with what he said, but not sure what it meant to her. They both grinned when Aloy’s stomach complained, continued preparing their food and had their dinner in front of the balcony, quiet and contently as always, but with a mutual tension hanging between them, knowing that this evening would be the last one they shared for a longer time.

Aloy was sure that this was the reason that only a short while after finishing their food and watching the sunset together she suddenly found herself tangled in Teb’s arms, his mouth warm and hungry on her skin. A moment later they both staggered to their bed, desperately struggling to rid the other of their clothing with shaking hands. Aloy felt like her heart was breaking with the notion of how much she would miss Teb, warring with the rush of pleasure flooding her mind when Teb’s tongue delved between her thighs. She arched and writhed beneath his attentions until she felt she couldn’t take it anymore, stopping him gently to usher him back into her arms to lick his ear, her hands luring gasps of pleasure from his lips.

“I’ll dream of this all day and night, Aloy…” Teb whispered between two broken moans. Aloy smiled under his kisses, suddenly remembering what he’d told her about couples missing the other. The image of Teb touching himself while thinking of her made Aloy blush, the thought of him whispering her name in the privacy of their apartment when he was alone. The thought was arousing on such a deep, intimate level that Aloy unconsciously pulled Teb closer, clutching to him as if he was a piece of driftwood and she was about to drown, and the same arousal was what made her breathe into Teb’s ear.

“Does that mean you’re going to please yourself, thinking of this?” Aloy asked. By Teb’s pause she knew he was blushing, but a moment later she felt him smile against her lips.

“Oh, I certainly will,” he murmured while pressing soft kisses against her jaw. “How… how about you, Aloy? I know you’ve never tried it, but…”

Aloy blinked and inhaled sharply, mildly shocked at his candor when speaking openly about this incredibly intimate matter, but still feeling strangely allured. She knew she was going to miss him dreadfully, and suddenly the idea of soothing that longing seemed like an enticing thought, even though Aloy didn’t quite know how it worked for a girl.

“Do you want me to show you how you can please yourself?” Teb asked, his voice a barely audible whisper.

Despite the darkness, Aloy could see his expression, his eyes wide with desire. She didn’t answer, but Teb understood her quiet agreement. He hugged her closer and used his other hand to gently take Aloy’s wrist to bring her hand down her body until he reached the curly tuft of red locks in her lap.

Aloy allowed him to carefully guide her fingers between her warm folds, feeling her own body in an entirely new way other than when she washed herself. She gasped softly when Teb slipped a finger inside her heat, curling it to touch that spot inside her that made her convulse with pleasure. He pulled his finger out after a moment, leaving behind a feeling of emptiness, and encouraged Aloy to try it herself by gently urging her hand down. Aloy felt her way inside, shocked by the warmth of her own body, fever hot and tight around her finger and dripping wet due to Teb’s tongue and, as she had learned over the course of their encounters, her rising lust. Carefully moving her own finger inside herself felt odd, but not unpleasant. Teb left his hand on hers, as if making sure she was treating her own body as carefully and cherishing as he always did, and eventually gently took her hand again. He pulled her fingers up between her warm, swollen folds, until he reached that rosy bud of nerves he paid special attention to when preparing her for their act. Aloy felt Teb’s fingertips rubbing over the small bump, moaning contently at the familiar surge of pleasure. When he stopped she frowned for a moment, longing for more, and Teb reacted by simply pressing Aloy’s own fingertips onto that sweet spot.

Aloy gasped, blinking at the surge of arousal flooding her brain simply by rubbing gentle circles over the center of her heat. She enhanced the pressure until she could feel the slightly swollen, pea-sized knot of nerves moving under her fingertips and shuddered when it almost felt like a low-level electric shock. Breathing heavily Aloy tamed it down a little, carefully testing what felt good and what didn’t until she found a rhythm and pressure that was perfect, moaning quietly in wonder at what she could do to herself. She felt that white-hot glow of heat pooling low in her core, the aching, sweet tension gradually building up, all just by touching herself. It wasn’t quite the same as when Teb touched her, slightly muffled as if she tried to massage her own shoulders. It lacked that exhilarating sensation of surrender at his touch because she did it herself, but it still felt wonderful and slowly worked her into a state of lustful bliss.

Aloy was vaguely aware of Teb’s gaze wandering over her form, his eyes dark with desire. He didn’t seem ashamed or jealous that she touched herself, quite the opposite. He cradled Aloy close, caressed her hair and her breasts and kissed her neck, his erection pressing warmly against her stomach as if he deeply enjoyed watching her as she touched herself, as if it was enough to keep up his arousal. After a while Aloy felt just a bit ashamed with what she did despite the pleasant thrill, not knowing just how far she could go with this and hungry for Teb’s touch again. She took her hand away and signaled Teb to continue. A deep gaze was enough for him to mount her in one smooth motion. Aloy arched her head back when Teb started moving inside her, losing herself in their union as they tipped over the edge at the same time. What they shared was slow and gentle, like the last candle placed at a shrine, unyielding against the night and the cold. Aloy knew it was to remind each other of what they had, as if they were collecting a secret stock of memories to draw from for as long as they were apart, and Aloy cherished every single moment until she fell asleep in Teb’s arms.

-

Aloy woke up both eager to delve head-first into her quest and reluctant to part from Teb’s tight, warm embrace. She rolled around until she was facing him, taking another moment to bask in his comforting scent and looking at his peaceful, sleeping expression. Aloy slowly ran a finger down Teb’s delicate brow, along his nose and down to his lips, then bend forward and enveloped them in a soft kiss.

“See you soon, Teb. I promise I won’t be long, hopefully with good news from Petra,” Aloy whispered against his lips, then kissed him again.

She smiled when she felt Teb slightly returning the kiss, an almost unconscious press of his mouth.

“Bye, Aloy. Go and find those bandits, I know they don’t have a snowball’s chance in the desert against you,” Teb murmured with a drowsy smile, not bothering to open his eyes.

Aloy chuckled. “Bye, Teb. I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Aloy,” Teb rumbled. He opened his eyes for just a moment, blinking at her with that gorgeous gold and green, then fell aback asleep. Aloy smiled and pressed one last kiss against his temple, then slipped from the bed and dressed. She made herself a cup of moon tea on the embers in the fireplace and quickly used it to wash down a few sweet tomatoes and maize bread. Her gear was already fully piled up by the door, weapons, food and ammunition with a quiver of sharpshot arrows. Aloy strapped everything on her back, cast another look at the slow fall and rise of Teb’s chest under the soft fur blanket they slept under, and then left the apartment, not only with a feeling of anticipation to return to him, but also looking forward to be back in the wilds.

 _Alright_ … Aloy thought as she jogged through the morning mist still hanging heavily in the narrow streets of Meridian just before sunrise. _I need to find a mount, hopefully a Strider, then follow the road north until I reach Free Heap. And keep my eyes and ears sharp…_

When a Strider came trotting down the hill at the Meridian Gate after Aloy’s loud whistle for a mount she grinned lopsidedly, feeling that exhilaration making her heart beat faster. She quickly strapped her gear to the machine and jumped on its back, clicking her tongue to urge the Strider into motion, up north over the bridges. The jungle to her right was still bathed in shrouds of fog as Aloy rode past, a myriad of birds chirping in the canopies, falling silent whenever the occasional growl of a Stalker emerged from the dark green depths. The temperature increased slowly as the Strider trotted north until the soft soil turned sandy and speckled with rocks, the sun now reaching its height. Aloy applied oil on the bare skin of her face and arms to protect it from getting burned. In the afternoon she made a break to sleep, continuing her way in the night to use the cold air caused by a stellar sky to travel more comfortably.

While she rode, illuminated by pale moonlight, Aloy pondered whether she should reach Free Heap first, or try to spot the bandit camp on her way there. In the end she settled for visiting Petra first in case she got discovered while snooping around in the bandits’ backyard, so the Oseram of Free Heap were informed should she return with a gang of raiders at her heels, requiring a bit of firepower.

 _In this case, it would be a lot shorter to just cut the way around the Gatelands Camp and simply cross the mesa_ , Aloy mused, narrowing her eyes at the tempting prospect of riding across the flat plane instead of moving up and downhill just to work her way around Lone Light.

Decision made, Aloy left the road and let the Strider saunter across the mesa in the dim light of the dawn. Following the steep rock formations also had the advantage of offering a bit of shadow, only a little but Aloy was thankful for every bit of shade she could get. At noon she made a break at a campfire in the looming shadow of a rock overhang, taking a short rest to eat and catch some sleep. She enjoyed some of the food Teb had made for her while it was still fresh, keeping the dried meat and berries for later. She watched a group of Lancehorns trotting by, protected by two Sawtooths that slinked around the herd, but didn’t show any offence at her presence.

When the sun was about to sink again and the herd had moved on, Aloy got back on her mount and continued her way down the mesa, confident to reach the river soon so she could follow it to Free Heap. She suddenly pulled at the reins and brought the protesting Strider to a stop when she spotted a large, black silhouette, gleaming red in the light of the sun.

Her focus revealed that it was a machine, dead and looted, and when Aloy realized what it was a soft laugh escaped her.

 _Could that be the Thunderjaw Teb and I killed…?_ she asked herself and hurried to bring her mount closer to the carcass.

It was indeed the Thunderjaw that had almost trampled them until Teb had helped Aloy to bring it down in the very last second. Aloy grinned to herself as she slipped from her mount and rounded the huge pile of scrap metal to examine it closer. The Thunderjaw carcass had a broken nexus, resulting from Aloy’s stab with her spear, so it actually was the one they had killed.

Sweet memories erupted in her mind when Aloy remembered what Teb and she had done after barely surviving its attack, their very first kiss, and what had followed. In a way, this Thunderjaw had helped Aloy to overcome those barriers inside herself so she could close the distance to Teb, filling her life with his company on that new, intimate level she had grown to appreciate and need so much. Smiling to herself when basking in the memory of feeling Teb’s soft, giving lips on hers for the first time, Aloy reached out and petted the Thunderjaw’s gaping maw in a short fit of nostalgia.

Something… was odd.

Aloy frowned and looked closer. The Thunderjaw’s armored backplates were missing, as well as the plates on its legs and the arched ammo clips under its neck. When she walked to the backside, she realized the entire tail was gone too. Back then when Aloy had fought the machine she hadn’t had time to remove those plates with blast arrows, simply relying on stabbing right through its brain, so the plates must have been removed after its death.

 _There are only two possibilities to explain the missing plates…_ Aloy mused, rounding the Thunderjaw. _Glinthawks scavenging it for metal, or people taking large parts away._

She reached out and ran her palm over the Thunderjaw’s hull, feeling for the ragged, irregular marks that the sharp beaks of Glinthawks left when they scavenged scrap metal.

There were none.

Instead, Aloy found a few scattered, deliberate signs of careful removal, as if somebody had pried the parts loose with a lever. She activated her focus and let out a huff when her suspicion got confirmed by a glowing track leading away from the Thunderjaw. She examined it closer and saw not only footprints, but also that something heavy must have been dragged away, probably a neat pile of Thunderjaw plates and the tail, pulled through the sand like a sleigh through the snow.

The tracks led north, towards the river, where its meandering curves were close to the road the Nora group had been ambushed.

“And who gathers large, broken machine parts from carcasses, I wonder?” Aloy quietly muttered to herself, highlighting the tracks with her focus. “Bandits, that’s who, to reinforce their camp. Time for a change of plans.”

With that, in the rising darkness, Aloy mounted her Strider and followed the tracks the bandits had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback is deeply appreciated. :) I know many of you will celebrate christmas (or winter solsctice or something of that nature...) next week and whatever you're celebrating I hope you'll have a wonderful time! I'll still try and get the chapter ready as usual.


	19. Chapter 19

XIX.

The sun was about to rise, its pink light slowly creeping over the dry sands of the desert and the fertile banks of the river like a wave, slowly melting the white shrouds of morning mist and chasing away the shadows.

It didn’t reach Aloy, though, who was crouched high up on a cliff under a rocky overhang like an owl on its perch, her hideout formed into a natural cave by sandstorms and time. She huddled into the shadow, grey furs and brown cables of her armor blending her into the dusty shades of her surroundings. She didn’t move, watching the bandits below wandering about.

It had taken Aloy days of scouting until finding the camp, but the tracks gradually turned broader and harder to overlook the closer she got, and now she had finally reached its outskirts.

The size of the camp was shocking, larger than any of the ones Aloy had rooted out with Nil long ago. Back then, the camps had been junkyards, dead machine carcasses piled haphazardly on top of each other, gaps filled with sharpened sticks pointing outwards to ward off intruders. The huts within had been makeshift and clumsy, little more than barracks, and when Aloy had freed a camp the first thing the new settlers had done was tearing them down to replace them with proper buildings. This camp, though, as Aloy observed with a frown on her face, was made to last. It was built into a destroyed site of the Old Ones, a large semicircle and broken towers with pipes sticking out like a ruined fortress. Aloy didn’t know what it had been before, but the bandits had reinforced the old structures to expand it into almost a small city, wedged between the mesas flanking it. There were strange, high towers around the semicircle like arms made of carefully braided steel bars, bent in the middle as if they had been used as cargo lifts, but much larger. The bandits had connected them with wires and ropes to set up roofs between them, creating a large, shadowy space beneath like an oversized tent. It effectively helped to hide rising smoke from view when travelling on the road, Aloy realized, probably the reason nobody had seen the camp before, and if they had, any unlucky witnesses must have been close enough to get picked up and killed.

Aloy counted at least a hundred bandits milling about just from where she was sitting. After a while she nodded to herself as she spotted the tail of the dead Thunderjaw that had set her on the track, mounted between a crumbling ruin and a broken pipe like a makeshift archway. She was looking for prisoners, maybe surviving Nora that the bandits had taken captive, but didn’t find any. Something in her didn’t want to accept that the bandits hadn’t taken any prisoners and hoped that the buildings of the Old Ones might serve as some kind of dungeon, just not visible from her perch.

 _No way I can get in and out of that camp alone_ , Aloy mused darkly. She scanned the camp one more time and didn’t see any captives, then decided to carefully round it to watch it from different angles. It was clear to her that the sheer size of it required half an army to attack it. Returning with Erend and hopefully also having Petra as backup seemed inevitable to Aloy, but she wanted to at least see if she could find some kind of breach or weak spot to prepare the attack.

Aloy carefully retreated, crouching low and picking her way from shadow to shadow, using every patch of tall grass to hide in. She rounded the camp, moving to its backside. The further she got the clearer it became that it was even larger than expected, curving into the valley it was built into in a heart-shape. Aloy slowly sneaked across the sand, her fur-lined boots concealing any sounds as she climbed up on the slope of the mesa, hiding behind a row of lose rocks. She halted in her movements and pressed herself to the rock as closely as possible as her focus suddenly revealed a blue shape, not an aggressively yellow one. Peeking over the rock with narrowed eyes she watched as two bandits dragged and kicked a woman towards some kind of round trapdoor. The woman looked like a Nora as far as Aloy could tell, dressed in furs and feathers, and she fought back like an angry Sawtooth with fists and teeth when the bandits drove her roughly towards the trapdoor.

Aloy bit her tongue and unconsciously reached for her bow when the bandits made the woman descend into the dark cave below the round door with the points of their spears. The woman went inside, no chance to defend herself, and the round flap was closed above her with an echoing thump.

 _So there are prisoners_ , Aloy mused, a flicker of hope inside her. _Osric mentioned some of the Nora not coming back. Seemingly the bandits are keeping them alive. Still, all the more reason to come back as soon as possible to free them._

She continued her way, using a row of broken crates and structures made out of that artificial grey stone left by the Old Ones to get close enough to see the bandits. Frowning, Aloy realized that the armor of the bandits wasn’t just the usual unadorned, motley mixture of stolen attire and sharpened metal tubes. Looking closer, she noticed stark differences in the origin of the gear, furs and metal rings speaking of Oseram origin, blues and greens betraying Banuk make and intricately folded metal feathers the Carja. Apparently the bandits had stolen them from all kinds of tribes’ people, and then all joined this big camp here, a hidden city in the desert.

 _Seems to be a meeting point every freelancing raider is drawn to_ , Aloy thought squinting. _They are joining from everywhere across the land. This camp still grows, unnoticed by anyone here in this no-man’s-land. If I want to get rid of it permanently it won’t be enough to wipe out the bandits._

She still didn’t quite know how to achieve that, though. The best solution would be to have some kind of settlement in the area so the bandits didn’t have a chance to regroup unnoticed and undisturbed like they did now, but Avad had already told her no Carja would agree to settle this far in the wilds and this close to the Nora border. Aloy scowled at the camp’s spacey reinforcements and continued her way, determined to find at least some kind of breach before leaving.

The sun slowly crept higher and higher and the patches of shadow Aloy could use to hide shrunk with every passing moment. At noon she would be horribly exposed and forced to rely on tall grass that was very scarce in this area, so she hurried to round the camp completely. Her frustration grew parallel to the rising difficulty to stay hidden as the sun approached its peak and she was almost getting ready to leave the camp behind when her eyes wandered over a large, closed tunnel, a round tube on ground level poking out from the mesa.

Aloy carefully dodged a patrolling guard and sneaked closer, realizing that the tunnel was plugged with debris and rocks. It seemed to lead through the mesa, knowing the Old Ones maybe used to bring water in or out of the structure they left behind but dysfunctional now and useless to the bandits.

 _If that pipe has an exit in the camp, it must have an entrance outside of it_ , Aloy mused with a lopsided smirk. She had found a weak spot for later, she knew. All she had to do now was leave unnoticed.

That plan got spoiled when Aloy quickly ducked behind a rock as a group of patrolling bandits passed her and she failed to see the rusty, sand-crusted container beneath her feet. She stepped on it, resulting in a loud crunching noise. Aloy flinched and cursed inwardly, pressing herself closer against her cover.

The sounds of footsteps from the bandits stopped and she knew they were looking in her direction to see what had caused the noise. Aloy heard them talk, not loud enough to understand what they were saying but enough to know that one of them came closer to check. Forcing herself to keep her breathing quiet as her heart beat faster, Aloy fumbled from something to throw, blinking with relief when her fingers closed around a rock. She aimed for a nearby wooden structure used to store containers and supplies and tossed it.

The rock hit a board used as a shelf and a few metal objects rolled to the ground, clanking as they fell. Aloy’s focus showed that the bandit approached the shelf.

“It’s just something that fell out of the stash,” Aloy heard him call to the other raiders. She let out a breath, waiting until the bandit had put the metal vessels back on the shelf and returned to his companions. She inwardly counted to ten, then took the chance and darted off to squeeze herself through a gap between two sharpened spears and the gutted carcass of a Trampler. Using the shadows an overhang provided she left the camp behind, pressing herself close against the rock until she had rounded the mesa and was out of view. She prowled around the mountain, looking for the spot she assumed the tunnel to stick out of the mountain again. After a good hour of searching she finally found the other end of the tunnel, a little higher up than she had hoped for, but not inaccessible. If she returned with reinforcements they could make use of it to enter the bandit camp unseen. Aloy looked up at the barred-up opening in the side of a slope. If she used her spear she’d surely be able to climb up to slip inside, and hopefully this would serve to make infiltrating the camp a bit easier.

Finally allowing herself to breathe freely again, Aloy took a short break to drink and eat a bite, hidden behind a broken rock. She carefully observed her surroundings while she ate, already planning where to go next to reach Free Heap unharmed.

 _I guess I’ll try reaching the river and follow its course instead of taking the road,_ Aloy mused as she stood up and continued her way down towards the washed-out valley the river formed. _That way I could avoid the bandits should they be preparing another ambush, instead of running right into one while travelling on the road. On the river coast I can use the reeds and dead trees to conceal my approach._

Decision made, Aloy whistled for a mount and continued her way on the back of a Charger. About an hour of riding later she reached the river to follow it for the better part of the day, realizing that the bandits had placed their camp so they could get to the road to ambush travelers very quickly and retreat back into their hideout unseen. If she wanted to prevent them from taking root again – given that Erend and her managed to wipe them out in the first place, Aloy added inwardly with furrowed brows – there had to be some kind of safe resting place to protect travelers right here, in the desert between Daytower and Dawn’s Sentinel as the next closest waypoints. Aloy looked around herself as the Charger’s galloping hooves carried her along the muddy river bank past Snapmaws dozing in the last rays of the sinking sun. There was plenty of water here, game to hunt meat and resources as well as fruits to gather and fish to catch, but the area was so secluded from both the Nora border and Meridian that Aloy couldn’t imagine Nora or Carja wanting start a settlement here.

Aloy turned the thoughts over in her head until she got tired of it and made a rest to sleep, deciding to finally take a longer break after several days of shorts naps to not lose the tracks she’d been following. She was still weary of bandits patrolling the river to see if there was another Nora caravan to raid, so she searched for some kind of shelter to sleep in. Next to an island in the riverbed Aloy soon found a surprisingly large assemblage of broken vehicles the Old Ones left behind, some of them almost as large as small huts, but with wheels under them like oversized carts made of metal. Some of them had broken windows, others were closed completely like Shellwalkers with long pipes sticking out of their thick hull. All of them were half buried in the ground and covered in rust, but their sheer bulk and number still offered a good protection from view. Aloy made aS small fire to roast a rabbit between the broken vehicles and laid down huddled under a blanket in a small, makeshift tent.

The night was cold, and at first Aloy found that sleep wouldn’t come, still tense from listening to approaching bandits and flinching with every little sound the nocturnal critters made. After almost jumping up for the third time when a Snapmaw sauntered past her tent with clumsy steps she cursed quietly.

 _Ears sharp, yes, but not that sharp_ , Aloy reminded herself. _I’ll need my strength and this place is hidden from view. I should sleep._

Shivering in the chilly air, Aloy reached for her satchel and rummaged in it for another blanket. Luckily Teb had given her a densely woven wool blanket as well, just in case, and she sighed with pleasure at the warmth when she draped it between her body and the furs. There was something else in her satchel though, and Aloy frowned when her fingers grazed over soft leather. She pulled the leather out and raised her eyebrows when she saw that it was a tunic, but not one of hers, too large and a different color from the ones she wore.

Aloy turned the garment over in the dim light and realized, telling by the soft, dark brown fawn leather, the red cables attached to the seams and the sleeveless cut, that this was one of Teb’s tunics.

A part of her mind asked herself how Teb’s tunic had ended up in her satchel, if he had put it there or if she had accidentally grabbed it together with her spare clothes, but none of that mattered when Aloy’s hands acted seemingly out of her own will.

Aloy held the tunic to her face, feeling the well-worn, soft leather against her lips as she pressed her nose into it and inhaled, curious if Teb’s scent still clung to the garment. It did, she found, and a shuddering little sound escaped her when his wonderful scent of beeswax and herbs enveloped her, soft and warm and comforting. Aloy frowned at the tunic for a moment and then decided she might as well lie down with it so she had something to press against her, and maybe Teb’s scent would help to put her mind at ease. She lay down on her back, her layers of blankets sheltering her like a small cave of body heat and deeply inhaled the scent of the tunic. It smelled so good that something like a rush slowly took a hold of Aloy, drowning out any thoughts she could have questioning her actions, but she didn’t fight it. Instead, she draped Teb’s tunic next to her face and just breathed, deciding that a little dreaming couldn’t hurt. She’d never missed Teb more than now, Aloy realized dimly, every single inch of her skin itching to be touched, longing to feel his warm body next to hers so badly it almost hurt.

Inhaling his smell helped to soothe that longing as much as it intensified it. Aloy closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander as it pleased. Teb had worn the tunic at least a few times, Aloy realized as she moved it past her nose, the smell of beeswax mingling with just a hint of sweat, that warm, earthy musk of Teb’s skin when she lay in his embrace and his breaths started to come in short, erratic stutters. It evoked images in Aloy’s head, Teb’s arms encircling her to press her close, his gorgeous green eyes fluttering shut when she kissed down the thin streak of soft hair on his stomach, beads of sweat forming on his neck that Aloy picked up with her tongue, his naked torso flexing under her when she ground down on him.

Aloy only realized that she was squirming with the need to feel touched when her arm grazed over a pebble that had somehow slipped into her pile of blankets. She removed it impatiently, eager to press her nose into the soft leather of Teb’s tunic again to delve back into those sweet memories. One of her hands travelled down her body seemingly out of its own will, and Aloy allowed it to happen. Her palm grazed over her neck, her stomach and her hip, similar to her first innocent touches before getting to know the intimacies she shared with Teb, but lingering at her breasts, gasping when her fingers trailed around her nipple. That pulsing heat was too bright to ignore now, the current too strong, so Aloy gave in and allowed herself to drift with the stream. Her hand delved past her waistband and she shuddered when her fingers grazed over the sensitive skin under the soft curls of hair in her lap. With her mind wiped clean but for that nameless want Aloy slipped a finger between her folds and started stroking herself, first rubbing gentle circles over her sweet spot, trying to find just that perfect pressure and rhythm Teb used to touch her.

Thinking of him helped a lot, and moments later Aloy was biting her tongue to avoid making any noises, only soft, muffled moans escaping her. She picked up some of the moisture collecting in the center of her heat and kept stroking that knot of nerves, slow, gentle movements mingling with quicker ones, imagining her fingertips were Teb’s tongue spelling out soundless words against her swollen skin. Aloy’s head felt very warm and her entire body was tensing up like a bowstring, her eyebrows peaking in a mixture of need and pleasure. Maybe Teb was touching himself as well right in this moment, thinking of her, and Aloy unconsciously slipped two fingers of her other hand into her entrance, a corner of Teb’s tunic still draped over her nose to fuel the image of his beautiful eyes closing when he moaned. She tried curving her fingers and moved them like Teb would when their bodies were melded, a soft gasp escaping her when she struck a particularly sensitive spot while drawing those circles over her heat. It felt so good it was almost painful and she imagined Teb inside her as well as his tongue on her, those impossible pleasures that finally tipped her over the edge.

With a broken whisper of his name, Aloy brought herself to a shuddering height, not able to hold back some quiet moans despite all efforts as she tumbled down from the peak of her completion. It left her exhausted and sweaty, feeling almost sore with how much she was missing Teb, but the tension bled away with every gasp for air, a leaden relaxation spreading warmly through her body. Aloy rolled on her shoulder, clutching the tunic and pressing it to her chest. She blinked, now that the rush slowly subsided reflecting on what she had done, and a part of her wanted to feel ashamed while another asked stubbornly why she should.

It was normal, Teb had told her, and he was not only willing to do it himself while she was away but also encouraged her to take care of her own needs should she miss sensual contact. Aloy breathed deeply, curling up on her side with Teb’s tunic. Her left hand felt a little wet, her own juices sticking to it, but a deep sense of comfort had taken hold of her. The knowledge that she wasn’t only able to take care of her health, bruises and cuts but also of this need her body had developed was strangely empowering, and Aloy smiled a content little smirk when she finally closed her eyes, her worries chased away for just a moment as she dreamt of Teb’s warm embrace.

-

Aloy reached Free Heap by evening on the following day after a long ride. The gate was closed, but when the guards standing above it spotted the approaching mount the heavy wooden gate swung open to let her in. Aloy waved to the guards and slipped from her mount in the middle of the settlement, nodded to some of the inhabitants as they called out to her. The Oseram settlement was busy as a bee hive, the scent of smoke, smoldering coals and glowing metal as omnipresent as the rhythmic clanking of hammers on steel. There were more forges than people, it seemed, everybody busy to expand and reinforce the thick walls and trademark round towers. Men and women shouldering bags of scrap metal to melt down or large tools walked by as Aloy made her way up the walls to reach the stone balcony where she knew Petra Forgewoman watched over her settlement like a hotheaded, sooty queen in a leather worker’s apron.

As soon as she arrived on the top of the steps Petra greeted her with open arms, a wide smile on her face.

“Aloy! My favorite little redhead, it’s so good to see you again. How long has it been since we fought side by side at the Spire? A year?”

“At least,” Aloy replied, mirroring the elder woman’s contagious smile. She didn’t step back when Petra enveloped her in a quick hug, the scent of copper and smoke surrounding her.

“What brings you here, apart from brightening my day?” Petra continued. Aloy winced inwardly, remembering the woman’s habit to flirt with her, but too glad to be back in a safe, friendly area with an old companion to mention it.

“For now, the desire to wash. I’ve been traveling through the desert for days now,” Aloy replied, making Petra laugh heartily.

“Come into my quarters, then. Have a break, share a drink with me and rest your feet. Follow me.”

Aloy gladly did, stepping into a chamber in one of the towers that flanked the balcony, the typical round-roofed Oseram style, heavy wood and iron bars imbedded in stone. On the inside the walls were lined with woven carpets and furs, making it look a lot more comfortable than the sturdy outside suggested. The room was divided into smaller segments by curtains. Petra gestured to one of the segments and Aloy saw a washbowl and soft towels. She nodded to Petra and waited until she had left her, by the sound of it rummaging about in the kitchen to fetch cups and drinks. Aloy shed her armor and opened the ties that held her tunic together at the neck to expose her chest and arms. She scooped up some water with her hands and rubbed the sweat and dust from her upper body and neck that always seemed to find a way under her armor no matter what she did. While she washed, enjoying the feeling of clean, cold water on her skin, Aloy suddenly felt like somebody was watching her.

Peeking over her shoulder revealed that Petra had stepped behind her, leaning against the folding screen with a lopsided grin on her face. Aloy didn’t turn around, realizing that even if her upper torso was naked and the other present person had a female body as well, Petra’s eyes wandered over Aloy’s bare back in a decidedly interested manner.

“Those scars must have hurt when dealt,” Petra commented casually, nodding to the claw marks running along Aloy’s shoulder. Aloy huffed, knowing that it was an excuse to stare at her some more. She’d always felt mildly annoyed by Petra’s flirting at the most inopportune moments but appreciated her friendship and skills way too much to get angry about it. In this particular case, Aloy realized, before getting together with Teb she would have considered Petra a little too obtrusive for her taste. Now, though, she felt that something had changed.

Aloy’s newly developed close relationship with Teb had taught her not only to understand her own body and her feelings better, but also how to interpret certain signs and looks from others that had eluded her before, and how to deal easily with them. She knew what Petra’s interest meant, what flirting meant and that it wasn’t necessary to get into a defensive position. She didn’t even want to snap back a retort, knowing that Petra meant it rather playful than serious.

“Ravagers aren’t known for their gentleness,” Aloy commented with a smirk, continuing to rub the sand from her neck with a wet cloth.

Petra laughed. “I bet whoever gave you those hickeys is.”

Aloy flinched, having to resist the urge to cover her neck with her hand. She suddenly remembered the dark pink bruises Teb’s mouth had left on her neck, gently biting and sucking to replace the fading marks from the night before, and the night before that as if he was leaving his signature to remind her of his affection. She hadn’t thought of anybody being able to see them since most of her body was usually neatly covered in armor.

She blinked and decided to try and steer around that topic. Talking to Teb about intimate matters was no problem to Aloy anymore, but she didn’t feel like sharing this aspect of her life with anyone besides him.

“Didn’t bleed as much, certainly,” she replied dryly. Petra laughed again, something nosey creeping into her expression.

“May I ask who it was?” she inquired, sounding casual but her eyes betraying her curiosity.

“… Someone special,” Aloy came back after a short pause, briefly considering mentioning her relationship with Teb but deciding she didn’t feel ready to expose her bond with him, something that felt precious and intimate to her, shared only with him and him alone.

“Uh-huh,” Petra replied with a wink. “Must be, if they managed to get past your famous pride after so many failed to conquer you. Anyway, it’s none of my business. Take your time getting ready and I’ll show you the famous Oseram beer once you’re done.”

With that, Petra retreated and left Aloy to her grooming. Aloy briefly shook her head, trying to get her blush back in control. Apart from the fact that Teb’s and her approach was nothing she would ever describe as him _conquering_ her, she had other, more pressing things to take care of. She quickly and efficiently finished cleaning the worst dirt from her upper body and washed her hands, then dressed and went back into the main room of the tower.

Aloy joined Petra at a large wooden table by a window, gladly accepting the tankard she handed her. Aloy drank a sip, first frowning at the bitter taste, but the golden liquid was cold and bubbled pleasantly on her tongue, a delight after days of lukewarm water. She drank a bit more, then realized that it made her head swim ever so slightly.

“And, do you like it? I admit I’ve given you the lightest brew we have, not the heavy stuff you could also use to polish rusty nails. You seem like you’re here because of grave matters, Aloy,” Petra said, taking a healthy swig from her own, much fuller tankard.

“It’s… interesting,” Aloy admitted neutrally, quickly reaching for a slice of roasted meat from the plate in front of her to avoid the beer being the only thing in her stomach. “Petra, I’ve come to ask for your help.”

At that, Petra’s expression became serious, and she held Aloy’s gaze with her deep, nut brown eyes.

“What could someone with a reputation like yours need help for?” she asked.

“Nothing less than the future of the relationship between the Sundom and the Sacred Lands,” Aloy began. When Petra’s eyes widened, she knew she had her undivided attention and continued. “As you may know, the contact between Carja and Nora has been restricted to bloody feuds so far, apart from the few Nora that agreed to help in the battle at the Spire.”

Petra nodded. “I know. Poor lot, the Nora. Don’t tell me you’re trying to get them to make peace with the Sundom?”

Aloy huffed. “I’ve already been very close.”

She told Petra of Teb, his efforts to start a business in Meridian and his successful integration of Nora culture in their society, smoothing the way for a friendly approach between the two tribes, and the Nora that had visited Meridian after the establishment of the trading trail between the Embrace and the Sundom. At the mention of Aloy being involved in Teb’s business, Petra quirked an eyebrow up.

“That business partner of yours wouldn’t be the one responsible for those hickeys, would he?” she asked slyly, chuckling when Aloy blushed.

“He might be,” Aloy came back as casually as possible, trying to regain her footing. “But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the trading trail is under the attack of bandits. A group of Nora and Carja traders got ambushed and many of them died, some were kidnapped and only a few managed to flee. I’ve scouted the area and discovered a huge bandit camp, large enough to waylay the entire road. The region between Daytower and Dawn’s Sentinel is no longer safe to travel and if we don’t stop the bandits they’ll only expand their territory. So far it seems all our efforts have been for naught and I fear the Matriarchs will close the border once and for all after this. It’s a disaster, really.”

At the mention of bandits, Petra suddenly smashed her tankard down so hard it left a dent in the wooden table and jumped up from her seat.

“You know where the bandits are?” she exclaimed, her eyes blazing.

Aloy blinked, surprised by her hefty reaction. “I… I do. They’re hiding within a ruin of the Old Ones, in a valley. You sound like you’ve had trouble with them already, Petra.”

Petra’s eyes were like glowing coals in a forge. “Trouble isn’t remotely enough to describe it. Remember the bandits you’ve helped me chase away from the junkyard? I bet the ones that came in the night and cut through our homes while we slept like Scrapper jaws through metal were the same lot, withdrawn to regroup in that new, bigger camp you spoke of. Killed and injured a bunch of my people and fled like cowards into the morning mist.”

Aloy bowed her head in empathy. “I didn’t know that, Petra. When did they attack?”

“A week ago, roughly. I’ve sent warriors after them but only two of them returned, the others didn’t. The ones that came back told us they lost them after getting injured. The bandits have a weapon that spits lighting, they said. Not sure if they are right or if the desert sun baked their brains.”

“The Banuk have weapons that do that, Petra. It’s called stormslinger. I’ve watched the bandits and they seem to have stolen goods and weapons from all over the realm, as if every cut-throat and thief is drawn to this place, to join the camp. It’s growing, Petra. Seems like we have the same enemy,” Aloy summarized, feeling her heart beating faster when Petra nodded, angry determination blazing in her eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Petra averted her eyes and huffed, deep sorrow replacing her anger. “They’ve killed our settlement’s healer. An old, white-haired woman. Those damn cowards. I swear Aloy, that grumbling old lady was like a mother to me. Knew her craft like our best smiths know their hammers. Taught me everything I know about yelling at people until they obey.”

Aloy tilted her head in empathy when she heard Petra’s affected tone. “I’m sorry, Petra. What was her name?”

“Sanja. Sanja Ironhand. I’d never thought I could miss somebody’s cursing that much,” Petra replied quietly.

“Petra… If I asked you to help me root out the bandits, would you do that?”

At that, Petra looked up, and Aloy held her breath when she saw the fire in her eyes.

“Our blades and hammers are thirsty for revenge. What do you need us for? Just tell me your plan and we’ll follow, Aloy.”

Aloy nodded sincerely. “I was going to travel to the Claim after visiting you, to ask another Oseram friend of mine for help. He’s the captain of the Sun King’s Vanguard. You might know him, his name’s Erend.”

Petra laughed. “I do! When I left the Claim behind years ago he was a blustering little drunkard eager to follow his big sister’s footsteps, always bragging he’d go and become a mighty warrior. Vanguard, huh? I’ve always known that boy was going to go far.”

“He did. Without him we wouldn’t have won at the Spire. Erend will rally his warriors and help me wipe out the camp, I’m sure. Still, I need somebody with a little more firepower to watch our backs, cut off the bandits’ escape route when we drive them out of the valley. In one direction we have Greatrun, in the other… well, there’s you. I could use your help putting the screws on the bandits,” Aloy summarized her plan.

Petra nodded. “Sounds good. There’s not a single man or woman in Free Heap that wouldn’t agree to crush the bandits readily. You said you need my help – you shall have it.”

Petra sat down again and lifted her tankard, and Aloy touched it with hers. They drank another swig together. Aloy knew she’d have Petra behind her, something that put one of her bigger worries at ease, but there still was the most important issue she hadn’t addressed yet. When she had talked to Avad about the permanent eradication of bandits in this unsettled patch of land to make it safe for travelers, Teb had had the idea to ask Petra for her help, being the closest thing to a city this region had to offer. Still, Free Heap was too far away from the road to serve as a waypoint for travelling Nora, but when Aloy remembered the scrapyard she had spent the night in, a sudden idea struck her.

“Petra, I’ve learned that if we really want to make this area safe, it won’t be enough to just wipe out the camp and leave it to that. The area between Free Heap and Daytower is no-man’s-land and sooner or later, bandits will take root again,” Aloy began, watching Petra’s face. The older woman nodded understandingly.

“Still dreaming of a safe road for Nora to use to reach the Sundom?”

“With your help, it won’t remain a dream,” Aloy came back. “Start another settlement, Petra. Expand your territory, create another Oseram city in the empty area between Dawn’s Sentinel, Free Heap and Daytower. You’ll have more room to settle, more control of the region, and no bandit will dare to hole up between two Oseram fortresses packed with cannons.”

At her suggestion, Petra straightened her back and blinked. Aloy knew she had taken her aback with her bold idea, but held her gaze, determined to convince her that only by settling in the former bandit territory they could hold it permanently.

“Aloy… I see where you’re going with this, but I guess you know it’s not that easy. We’re Oseram, born with hammers in our hands. We can only sleep with the hissing of a burning forge nearby. I’ve only founded Free Heap because of the junkyard close by. In the Claim we gather ore from the ground and smelt it down, but here in the desert our only source of iron is the scrap metal we find. I’ve toyed with the thought of forming another settlement to spread our forces a little, Free Heap is getting crowded. But there’s no iron in the desert, Aloy. No Oseram will agree to this.”

“Petra, there are dozens of metal vehicles the Old Ones left behind close to an island in the river, right in the area we need to keep safe. It’s a huge assemblage of metal and steel, lying around in the sand. Your people could harvest from it for a long time. There’s water and fish as well, and the river around the island works like a natural stronghold, easy to defend,” Aloy said, now with excitement in her voice. She knew it would work, she just had to convince Petra.

The woman looked down at her tankard, nodding to herself as she turned Aloy’s words over.

“Well… If you’re right – and I don’t doubt that you are – it sounds too good to be true. Still, you said you’re doing this to offer your fellow Nora a waystation to rest. After all I’ve heard about your lot, do you really think they are going to enter an Oseram village voluntarily?”

Aloy frowned, her thoughts racing. There had to be a solution to this, a way to close the gap between the tribes. The Nora never held grudges against the Oseram, but the more traditional ones might still refuse to enter their villages, unless…

 _Mother’s Heart_ , Aloy thought. _Mother’s Crown, Mother’s Cradle, Mother’s Rise…_

“Petra, name your new settlement _Mother’s Hand_. After Sanja Ironhand, the old woman that meant so much to you. Build a new village in her honor and name it after Nora tradition, like an offering of friendship,” she suggested with an involuntary smile tugging at her lips.

Petra stared at her with wide eyes, then gazed down, nodding slowly.

“Mother’s Hand… Yes. Yes, I think grouchy old Sanja would have liked that.”

Aloy jumped up, her heart beating faster with determination. “It’s decided, then! Leave it to Erend and me to wipe out the bandits, cover our backs and let your people know that you’ll expand your territory. With your help we’ll have a settlement to hold the area and make it ours, to allow safe passage between the Sacred Lands and the Sundom.”

Petra stood up as well, crossing her arms with that lopsided grin on her face that made the corners of her eyes crinkle.

“Very well. Seems like I can’t refuse an offer you make, but I understand that it’s for everyone’s best. How are you going to explain your fellow Nora what’s going to happen?”

Aloy started pacing up and down, no longer able to stand still. “I’m not sure yet… I have to return to Meridian to tell the King of our agreement and then set out to meet Erend, I don’t have time to go to the Embrace to tell the Nora.”

“Leave that to me. I have a bunch of very talented runners to ferry messages between the Claim and Free Heap. My boys and girls are fast and sturdy, let me send them to the Embrace to deliver your big news. Just prepare me a message and I’ll see to it,” Petra suggested.

Aloy nodded, calculating the route between Free Heap and the Sacred Lands in her head. Ever since the rebooting of GAIA the route was safe, the large machine roaming about in the forests and meadows docile and calm, making travelling through the Sacred Lands easy. The messenger could be even faster than her return to Meridian if they were lucky.

“Alright. Just give me a parchment and I’ll see to it. Here, have my Seeker’s Mark. Give it to your messenger and ask them to tell any guards that I sent them. My name usually helps to open the gates.”

Petra laughed and did as Aloy told her. For the rest of the night, Aloy prepared a message for the Matriarchs telling them about her plans to create a settlement in the former bandit territory to make it safe, hopefully forever. A very young, eager looking Oseram warrior set out in the very same evening, heading for Dawn’s Sentinel into Nora territory to deliver her message. When Aloy fell asleep on a pile of furs in the back of Petra’s quarters she was bone-tired and worn out, but still leaden with a blissful feeling of hope that burned away the lingering worry, and she soon fell asleep, dreaming of Teb’s proud, affectionate smile as she pressed her face into his tunic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Aloy and Teb cuteness is soon to come, but their relationship will have to pass a test like none other before if they really want to keep going what they have. Also: Bonus Erend makes an appearance.
> 
> Happy holidays everybody!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Erend cameo!
> 
> I know Erend's one of the most popular H:ZD characters and that a lot of you guys love him to bits. In this fic he doesn't get the girl, though (obviously) but I still hope I'm doing the big sweetheart justice. Enjoy!

XX.

Aloy rode back to Meridian a day after the messenger to the Embrace left Free Heap. She’d instructed the young Oseram how to address the Nora once reaching their territory, given him the Seeker’s Mark and told him to drop her name as often as possible – nothing should go wrong, but still Aloy was anxious that Teersa wouldn’t be able to tame Lansra’s angry struggle to close the border forever after the bandits’ attack on travelling Nora.

“ _Mother’s Hand_. I still like the name, you know,” Petra said when Aloy mounted her Strider after wishing her farewell. “We’ll wait for any signs of a battle, and should Erend and you chase the bandits in our direction we’ll give them a warm welcome, don’t you worry.”

The corner of Aloy’s mouth quirked into a lopsided smirk when she turned her head and watched hoards of Oseram in thick armor carrying cannons to the walls, wearing grim expressions on their faces.

“I’m sure you will, Petra.”

“We’ll start our new settlement as soon as the area is safe. Let’s just hope the Nora will accept it as a place to rest.”

“Me too,” Aloy came back, and meant it. The danger that Lansra took her idea to name the new Oseram village _Mother’s Hand_ after Nora tradition as a deadly insult was painfully real, but Aloy just hoped the other Matriarchs would accept it as a friendly gesture.

“See you then, Petra.”

“See you, Aloy. Hopefully emerging from a cloud of cannon smoke with a spear in hand. Farewell.”

Aloy nodded and clicked her tongue, spurring the Strider to a gallop until Free Heap slowly disappeared in the shrouds of dust the wind blew over the desert. She followed the riverbed eastwards to avoid the bandits. After almost a day she passed the scrapyard with the large assemblage of rusting vehicles of the Old Ones, mustering a smile when she thought of busy Oseram harvesting the metal to smelt in their new village while sheltering travelling Nora. Frowning, Aloy immediately tamed her own enthusiasm, knowing how fragile her plan was, to her deep dismay. Aloy didn’t see any bandits apart from their numerous tracks on the side of the road, reminding her of how urgent it was to fight them.

 _I’d rather light myself on fire than allowing them to topple all the work Teb and I put into ending this useless feud_ , she thought grimly, urging her mount on.

She reached Meridian after a few days of riding, on a misty afternoon that was a lot colder than the days before. Her chest felt so tense it almost hurt, her mind torn between the urge to tell Teb of her meeting with Petra and telling him just how much she had missed him. Aloy all but sprinted up the short flight of stairs and found the door locked. She knocked, bouncing in her steps. A wide smile stretched her lips when she heard Teb’s key scratching in the lock, and a part of her could hardly wrap her mind around just how exhilarated she was in anticipation of seeing Teb again.

“Teb!”

Aloy wedged herself through the door and threw herself into his arms so hurriedly that she almost knocked him over. Teb huffed out a breathless laugh, wrapping her in his embrace to hold her close.

“Hey, Aloy. Looks like you are happy to see me.”

His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and she could hear him taking a breath when he pressed his nose into her hair to inhale her scent. Aloy melted into his chest and smiled.

“I admit I did miss you a little,” Aloy answered, pulling back enough to look at Teb, her heart racing in her chest when she saw his face. He seemed to have worked a lot, his dreadlocks tousled and some blue dust smeared down the side of his temple as if he’d rubbed his head as was his habit when he got tired, but to her he had never looked more beautiful.

Something sweet ruptured in her chest when Teb smiled, soft and adoring.

“A little?” he asked with a quiet chuckle.

“Yeah, a little too much,” Aloy came back with a smirk, picking up on his gentle, amused tone.

“Oh, lucky me. I think she likes me,” Teb murmured with a gentle brush of his thumb over her mouth, leaning in to kiss her. Aloy moaned quietly into the kiss, and somehow it felt like the first time she had kissed him after not seeing him for so long.

“It does,” Aloy breathed back against his lips, welcoming him when he licked his way into her mouth. She found that she meant it, but the word was not enough to express just _how much_ she liked him. Nothing she knew was enough.

Their kiss got more heated the longer they stood by the door, their hands roaming over the other’s back, pulling at clothing and hair, hungry to get rid of those layers separating them. A moment later Teb suddenly pulled back a little, eliciting a needy whine from Aloy at the loss of contact.

“Did you speak to Petra? You have to tell me everything,” Teb said, but he fell silent when Aloy placed a finger on his lips.

“After this.”

She pulled him into their shared apartment, Teb barely managing to kick the door closed behind them as they staggered to the bed, chasing each other’s kisses and trying to struggle out of their clothes. Moments later they flopped heavily on the mattress. For a long while, Aloy’s world shrank down to the way Teb felt beneath her, his soft gasps of pleasure, and she gladly allowed herself to get lost in their union.

A long, blissful while later they both lay in each other’s arms, Aloy handing Teb her empty cup of moon tea. He replaced it with a beautifully painted clay vessel filled with a dark red liquid that Aloy carefully sniffed at.

“Wine?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at Teb.

Teb chuckled. “I know I’m not the one to drink, usually. I’ve gotten this from a former Shadow Carja trader, made from berries growing at the border of the Heartland. I thought the occasion was fitting.”

Aloy smiled and tried the wine, first frowning at the sour taste but then feeling a complex succession of flavors playing over her tongue, sweet and fruity and a hint of spices. Enticed, she took another sip and handed Teb the cup. They contently shared the wine, Aloy feeling her head swimming pleasantly as every last bit of tension bled from her body, chased away by satisfaction and the drink.

“Aloy, have you… Have you found the tunic I put in your bag?” Teb asked eventually, something coy in his voice. When Aloy flinched, warm memories of what she’d done to please herself that night in the desert making her chest heat up. She turned to look at him and saw a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. So he was fully aware of what he’d cause with placing a worn tunic of his in Aloy’s satchel. Aloy nudged Teb’s ribs, but all she got in response was a soft chuckle.

“I take that as a yes,” Teb whispered with blushing cheeks, leaning over to kiss her hair. “Did it work?”

“If by _work_ you mean that thinking of you reduced me to a wreck, then yes. It worked,” Aloy came back, her cheeks feeling warm, a little reluctant to speak about her first attempt to bring herself to completion but knowing that Teb wasn’t only aware of it, but most probably also appreciated it.

Teb pressed close, kissing her cheek and moaning softly against her skin, “Oh, Aloy, I… I’m glad it helped for a moment.”

Aloy chuckled, amused with his display of excitement after the heated touches they had just exchanged before settling down with wine. “You act like thinking of me touching myself is arousing.”

“Oh, it is…”

Now, Aloy laughed. “It is not.”

“It is… Imagining your beautiful hands reaching down your body, caressing over your skin…” Teb all but purred, rutting against her side. Aloy almost dropped the wine when she felt his erection pressing against her hip, laughing again.

“Teb! Remind me of what we did just moments ago, would you?”

“I can’t help it, sorry…”

Aloy playfully pushed Teb back only to giggle when he nipped at her neck, feeling the wine buzzing in her head and her heart beating in time with his when he cradled her in his arms, and Aloy felt like she was complete and whole as if a missing part of her was finally back where it belonged.

-

“Mother’s Hand…” Teb mused, glancing out at the clouds with a thoughtful expression on his face. Aloy watched him, a spoonful of maize porridge with berries halfway to her mouth.

“Don’t tell me I just sent off a messenger to the Nora who’s about to insult the High Matriarchs so badly they’re never going to talk to me again, Teb,” Aloy warned. To her relief, Teb shook his head. He took some time chewing and eating another spoonful as he thought, then swallowed and turned back to her.

“No, it was a good idea. I think Lansra won’t like the thought of a shared Oseram-Nora settlement, but she likes nothing if it’s not Nora. I remember old Tilda telling me how hard it was to establish settlements like Mother’s Crown since they are so far from the Embrace, but it worked after all. People adapt to changes and forget what they were angry about, and eventually it becomes normal,” Teb answered. Aloy nodded in agreement. Sometimes Nora behavior was a riddle to her and Teb’s understanding of tribal customs was incredibly valuable to her. He knew tradition in and out, having lived with the tribe for his entire life which was about six years longer than hers, but still had enough mind of his own to see past flaws and gridlocked old rules, something that Aloy admired.

“Good. So, there’s a realistic chance they’ll accept an Oseram village as waystation and continue visiting the Sundom?” Aloy asked.

“I don’t see why not. Especially the ones already having made good experiences in Meridian should be comfortable with Oseram around.”

Aloy nodded in satisfaction. She continued eating her breakfast with Teb, both of them sitting on pillows on the balcony. After last evening’s events, both Teb and Aloy barely able to say a word as they lost themselves in their sensations, she hadn’t told him much aside from making sure he knew she was unharmed, postponing their talk to the next morning as they huddled together as closely as possible to sleep wrapped in the other’s arms.

Aloy had told Teb about the discovery of the bandit camp while she drank her tea and he prepared porridge, then about her talk with Petra. When Teb heard that the Oseram woman had agreed to build another settlement in the empty, dangerous area the bandits now lived in he’d been surprised, but positively so, and Aloy felt reassured by his approval of her plans.

“When are you going to leave to find Erend to ask him for help?” Teb asked after a moment.

“Soon, I hope. I need to restock not only for the journey to the Claim but also for infiltration and stealth,” she answered.

Teb looked her over and his gaze met hers, something almost like sadness in his eyes.

Aloy tilted her head. “Something wrong, Teb?”

Teb blinked and stared into his food. “No. Just… You’ll come back, won’t you?”

Aloy put her bowl down and took his hand. “Of course. You don’t need to worry about my safety. I’m hard to put down. Thorny weeds grow tall, right?”

Teb chuckled softly and nodded, but somehow, Aloy was sure having seen something in his eyes that betrayed that it wasn’t her safety that made him worry.

-

The Oseram messenger suddenly showing up in Meridian wouldn’t have managed to surprise Aloy that much, but the answer from the Matriarchs he carried did. Aloy was entirely thrown out of balance when he reported to her, stopping dead in her tracks to load food and ammunition on her Broadhead.

Teb was with her, standing next to Aloy in front of the Meridian gate with a backpack in his arms to hold it while Aloy strapped her luggage on her mount. She’d finally decided to move out to meet Erend in the Claim to ask for his help to clear out the large bandit camp.

The messenger coming back from the Embrace was surprising in more than one way, since Aloy had expected the young Oseram to go back to Petra in Free Heap to report to her, and not to Aloy in Meridian.

“They are going to do _what_?” Aloy asked, not believing her ears when the Oseram messenger was finished speaking.

“The Nora are going to send a war party to help you fight back the bandits,” the messenger repeated. “That’s what they told me, them three wise old ladies. And believe me, there was a small army of warriors already rallying as soon as I mentioned your name.”

Teb and Aloy exchanged a glance, the astonishment in his eyes was mirrored in hers, then they simultaneously broke into an incredulous smile.

“That’s… excellent news,” Aloy grinned, having to stop herself from bouncing with excitement. “Teb, it’s a miracle! The Nora are volunteering to help! They are waking up!”

“How did the Matriarchs react to the news that Nora had been attacked on the road to Meridian?” Teb asked the Oseram.

The Oseram lifted a hand and made a vague, shaky gesture. “Not very well, not gonna lie. One of the three seemed ready to build a wall higher than the mountains to block out everyone else with her own hands if she had to, but the others managed to convince her that it was time to help. Some of the warriors supported them, led by a guy named Osric. Built like a cell in Sunstone Rock, that one. Curiously, he had a Carja girl by his side, with the royal emblem on her armor.”

“Oh, that’s Zeera. She’s been ferrying messages between the Embrace and the Sun King. After Osric got attacked she agreed to accompany him back to the Nora,” Aloy pitched in. So Osric and Zeera had made it, and Avad’s message asking for a diplomatic solution had arrived safely. Aloy asked herself if Avad’s and her words or Petra’s offer had tipped the scale in their favor, but she was so excited that it hardly mattered to her.

Teb smiled and shook his head as if he was secretly amused about something, and Aloy was about to ask him about it when the Oseram spoke up again, sounding serious.

“However, your Matriarchs agreed to send the war party over the border to support Free Heap, the city being the first safe spot they can reach when taking the northern route, to join Petra. You should know that they asked for you to be there, though, to act as a middleman. Uhm, middlewoman, I meant,” the Oseram added. “They are not going to enter a village of strangers after everything that happened without your presence as a proof that they can trust them. Until now, all they had is my word. Now they need to see I was telling the truth.”

“What?” Aloy exclaimed. “I can’t be there! I’m about to leave for the Claim to get Erend’s help, and we’ll attack the bandits from the south as soon as we get there. There’s no time to travel all the way to Free Heap before that. I can’t be in two places at the same time.”

The Oseram shrugged, signaling her that in the case of Aloy’s absence, the Nora most probably wouldn’t join Petra. Aloy groaned in frustration and started stomping up and down in front of her mount. Of course, right now when the Nora finally dared to make the move, to offer help in a conflict outside their borders, they required her presence and she couldn’t be there. In a way Aloy could understand that the Matriarchs wanted to make sure they didn’t send their war party right into an enemy’s camp, after all there was still the chance the Oseram messenger had stolen Aloy’s mark to lure them into a trap. It was a frustrating thought and the mistrust between the tribes annoyed Aloy beyond words, but after everything that had happened to the tribe in the Embrace she understood why the Nora insisted in having a familiar face as proof before agreeing to fight for somebody they didn’t know.

As much as Aloy felt exhilarated about the Nora rushing to her aid, she also felt the painful worry that if she didn’t manage to receive the war party in Free Heap they’d feel betrayed and never dared to cross the border again.

This was a unique chance, Aloy realized, something she would have never dared to hope for, but if this chance got to waste it might have been the last. The Nora were extending their hand, and she couldn’t be there to take it.

“There has to be a way,” Aloy growled. “No matter how much I hurry I can’t travel first to the Claim and then Free Heap, but not seeking Erend’s help would mean we lack the firepower to storm the bandit camp. Come on, think…”

“Aloy…?”

Aloy stopped in her tracks when Teb suddenly spoke up, his gentle voice timid and quiet. Teb’s gaze met hers, and when she saw him she forgot to breathe at the emotion in his eyes.

“Aloy, I… I’ll go to Free Heap for you.”

Aloy blinked, struggling for words. “But, Teb… No, you can’t travel this far alone, it’s a dangerous area and you don’t fight…”

She halted when Teb took in a deep breath and closed the distance between them, taking her hands. He stared deeply into her eyes, opened his mouth to speak and closed it again. He glanced to the side where the Oseram messenger still stood.

“Would you mind excusing us for a moment, please?” he asked quietly. The Oseram nodded and retreated a little distance away until Aloy and Teb were alone by the Broadhead.

Teb’s hand went up to touch Aloy’s cheek.

“Aloy… I mean it. Let me go to Free Heap for you. If you give me a mount I can be there before the war party. I know I’m not as famous as you, or a Brave even, but the Nora know me, and they know I’m your… that I’m connected to you. My face will be just as good as yours to convince them it’s safe to join Petra. You’ll have your support behind your back and an additional Nora war party to help. Maybe they’ll even stay and help building that new settlement.”

Aloy frowned at her feet. Teb was right, every single word he spoke, and she hated it, hated the thought of sending him off to travel to Free Heal alone, through miles and miles of bandit territory. It was the only solution she could think of, though, him and her being the only people available to receive the war party.

She looked up again, meeting his eyes. There was fear in them, and anxiety at the thought of accepting a task that required him to outdo his own skills in every way, but also hope and determination and that deep, gentle affection Aloy had grown to need so much.

“Teb… Okay. You’re right, there’s no other way. Look, you’ll have to travel north until reaching the Greatrun Hunting Grounds and then follow the river upstream. You can’t miss Free Heap, it’s a huge stone fortress with a cloud of forge smoke above it. Just stay away from the road, okay? If you encounter any bandits or wild machines, outrun them. I’ll get you a mount,” Aloy said, trying to fill that dark hollow in her stomach with familiar things like strategic planning.

Teb nodded, listening closely, but Aloy still felt his green gaze boring through every one of her inner walls. He knew how worried she was, and how well she knew they didn’t have a choice.

“I promise to take care of myself. I won’t disappoint you, Aloy. After all you’ve done for the tribes, it’s only fair that I pull my weight,” he said quietly, his warm palm caressing down her cheek over her jaw.

Aloy leaned into the touch, something inside her wanting to hug him and never let go. She blinked, realizing how hazy her eyes felt, and quickly turned to the side to whistle for another mount. A Strider came galloping over the ridge a few moments later, stopping by Aloy’s side. Teb took the machine’s cables to show her that he still knew how to control the mount.

“That’s… all I can do. You can have a spare bow and spear from me, and there should be some dried meat left in the kitchen,” Aloy said. Teb just nodded.

When Aloy looked into his eyes and saw the fear behind the gentle, devoted shine, she realized she’d never wished to be able to give him more. Then, suddenly, she had an idea, something she would never even have thought about earlier, but this was Teb and that made all the difference.

Aloy reached for her temple and removed the focus.

“Teb, take my focus. Attach it to your right ear, like so. If you tap the side it will show you people, animals and machines even in the dark, through walls or at far distances. Tap it again and it reveals tracks.”

Teb’s eyes widened. Apparently he knew how much the old device Aloy’s owned for almost all her life meant to her and shook his head.

“I… I can’t accept that, Aloy. You’ll need it yourself when fighting the bandits!”

“Trust me, I can get along just fine. I’ve already done the tracking where it could have been useful, and you need it more than I do. Please, Teb,” she insisted.

Teb searched her eyes one more time, then nodded and took the small, silvery triangle from her. Aloy helped him to attach it to his temple and showed him how to activate it. His astonished expression when seeing the world through the colorful networks of light reminded Aloy of her own fascination when finding the device as a child, and she smiled, her heart hurting.

“This is amazing…” Teb whispered, flinching when he looked at her and probably just saw her glowing silhouette. “Thank you. I’ll use this to make sure I can move unseen. I promise to give you your focus back when we meet again.”

Aloy nodded, taking a breath to calm herself. “Go to Free Heap, make sure the Nora war party arrives safely and gets in contact with the Oseram without them killing each other. After that, if you can, stay there and wait for me.”

Teb chuckled, deactivating the focus again. “I’m not going to run into battle with the Braves, don’t worry. I’ll wait for you in Free Heap. All-Mother, I know I’m going to stand on the wall looking out for you all day, Aloy. I already miss you so much.”

Aloy’s chest hurt as if there was an arrow stuck in it when she wrapped her arms around Teb to press as closely against him as possible. He returned her embrace, his hands coming up to cradle the back of her head.

“I’ll miss you too, Teb. Just promise me to come back in one piece, alright?” she said, having to swallow painfully against the lump in her throat.

“I will. I swear. As long as you promise me the same, Aloy,” Teb whispered, his voice sounding chocked. When Aloy pulled back to nod he had wet eyes, but stubbornly blinked any tears back, determined to face this incredibly important task that would decide whether the friendship between the tribes stood or fell.

Aloy kissed Teb one more time, deeply and thoroughly, painfully aware of every single inch of their bodies pressing together and how much she would miss feeling his racing heartbeat against hers and the soft warmth of his lips. She poured everything she couldn’t say into the kiss, hoping that he would understand, hoping that everything would go well.

The Broadhead snored, scraping its hooves over the ground, as if reminding Aloy that every wasted moment could mean another dead hostage, another ambush planned. She retreated from Teb, holding his hand for as long as she could before climbing on her mount. Teb stared up at her, his hands clenched as fists by his sides. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether he wanted to cry or leap forward to pull her back from her mount, as if he was struggling with what to say.

“Goodbye, Teb,” Aloy said quietly. Teb blinked, his breaths coming in nervous stutters telling by the rise and fall of his chest. When Aloy pulled at the reins to turn the Broadhead around, Teb made a sudden step forward, his eyes radiating something almost desperate.

“I… I love you, Aloy.”

Aloy forgot to breathe.

Frozen to the spot, she halted in her movement, her head tumbling with confusion, not a single thought staying still long enough for her to grasp it, her heartbeat violently staggering to a stop. Her hands clenched the cables she was holding, struggling to speak, knowing she had to answer, but _how could she_?

Overwhelmed, Aloy held Teb’s gaze for another heartbeat, and when she turned the Broadhead around to spur it to a gallop without being able to answer the last thing she saw was Teb’s expression shattering to pieces.

-

It took Aloy almost three days to reach the Claim, longer than she had hoped due to a sandstorm in the desert that made travelling horribly difficult. That was what she told herself, at least. She desperately tried to concentrate on what she had to do, knowing how much depended on it  - surviving in the wilds without her focus she’d grown so accustomed to, entering the Claim and reaching Pitchcliff hopefully finding Erend as fast as possible and returning to wipe out the largest bandit camp she’d ever seen – but she found she barely could.

Aloy’s head was reeling with a mass of contradicting emotions after Teb’s sudden love confession. Not a single moment passed in which the image of Teb’s face didn’t float back into her mind, the way that shine in his eyes got snuffed out like a candle in the wind when she left him without answering.

 _Don’t think about it now, focus, dammit_ , Aloy chided herself and pressed the Broadhead on against the scraping of a million sharp sand grains scratching over her skin as they found their way into the tiniest gaps of her armor. When she reached the timberline at the edge of the desert she made a stop to harvest a dead Watcher and promptly got attacked by a prowling Scrapper. It jumped at Aloy and dug its sharp fangs into her leg, not hard enough to hurt but enough to wrestle her to the ground. Aloy's head bumped against the soil so hard that stars exploded in front of her inner eyes. She jumped up, pain and confusion and frustration finally getting the better of her and yanked her spear from her back. With an angry battlecry she smashed the spear across the Scrapper’s head and stabbed it until its hull was pierced and torn.

When the Scrapper was nothing but junk Aloy finally stopped, her arms hurting and heaving for breath. She shook her head at her useless outburst, harvested the few undamaged parts from the Scrapper and guided her Broadhead behind a group of dense juniper bushes to set up a camp.

Her ears rang when she sat by a campfire to roast a turkey, but it didn’t taste like much to her. She sighed and forced it down, knowing she would need her strength.

A part of her wanted to be angry with Teb for suddenly tossing that revelation at her out of nowhere, at the worst moment she could possibly think of. Aloy felt torn and confused, didn’t know how she could have reacted, her heart hurting in a way she’d never experienced before.

The bigger part of Aloy knew that she was being horribly unfair.

They’d grown so closely together for over a year now, their relationship peaking in sharing a bed and deciding they were a couple. In a way Aloy could understand that Teb felt for her like this and she suspected he’d done so for a long time. She should have seen it coming, at some point, but he had still completely overwhelmed her with the sudden confession. The concept of love was something Aloy only knew as familiar bond – Rost, and Elisabet, in a way – but love for another person like Teb had confessed to her was nothing she could compare with feelings she knew, or with experiences she’d made. Aloy moaned quietly and wiped a palm over her face.

She did feel a lot for Teb – more than for anyone else she’d ever met. But was that love? What would it mean if she answered him? Did it mean she had to make some kind of commitment, give away a part of her freedom, fulfill expectations she couldn’t fulfill?

Deep down Aloy suspected that all she could be sure of was that she had hurt Teb in a terrible way and that she was being incredibly selfish. But how was she supposed to deal with this?

 _I don’t know_ , Aloy thought with a mixture of frustration and sorrow. _Other than I’m sorry. But I simply don’t know._

What would Teb do if she told him she wasn’t sure? How much patience did he have with her, how much pain could he endure? Would he ask her to leave…?

At that thought, Aloy’s chest clenched and she almost choked on her food, suddenly feeling nauseous.

She didn’t want to leave his side.

Groaning with frustration, Aloy curled up in her bedroll and forced her eyes shut, shivering despite the warmth.

By afternoon on the following day she reached the Claim. The border of the Oseram territory was not marked by a wall or watchtowers, but by the sudden decline of trees, only stumps left from a formerly dense fir forest growing around the mountain slopes. Aloy knew the Oseram had found a way to harvest iron from the ground and extracted it by smelting it in large pyres, something that required a high amount of wood. That way they slowly carved their way through the forest, gaining metal to reinforce their settlements. Aloy saw small trees growing back among the stumps, and burnt-down pyres that got higher in number the closer she got to Pitchcliff. Soon she could see the trademark spherical rooftops and sturdy stone walls in the distance and hurried to reach the settlement.

Aloy left the Broadhead outside Pitchcliff and ascended the worn path up to the ring-shaped walls. Some of the workers greeted her, smiles flashing behind soot-stained faces as they carried iron bars and heavy hammers around. Aloy managed to smile back, painfully missing her focus to be able to just pick out Erend’s familiar broad frame in the anthill that was Pitchcliff. She suspected he’d be higher up in the settlement and hurried up the stairs.

She didn’t have to look for long, luckily. A booming voice calling out her name made her spin on her heels, and despite the worries wearing her down Aloy mustered an honest smile when she saw Erend approaching her.

“Aloy!” he exclaimed with his arms spread. “You have no idea how good it is to finally see a face that’s not yelling at me.”

“Hey, Erend.”

He stepped in and made a vague gesture as if asking to hug her, and Aloy relented. His heavy armor clinked against her plates and he smelled subtly of coal and leather, but not alcohol, she was relieved to notice. She hugged him for a moment, then stepped back to look him over.

“People are yelling at you? What have you done wrong, Erend?” she asked jokingly.

Erend huffed. “Being born after Ersa, apparently. You have no idea what a string of trouble an Oseram burial is, and trying to settle the whole inheritance issues and who gets which ore site and appeasing clans that are apparently related to mine in some way showing up to get their piece of the cake…” Erend said with that familiar slurring accent in his voice. He let the hands drop he’d been gesturing with, took in a deep breath and looked at Aloy again, his light grey eyes narrowing when he smiled.

“… Anyway, good to see you. Going by your expression you’ve not come here to throw a party, right?”

“I’m afraid not. I need your help, Erend. But first… My condolences, once more. Are you done settling your family affairs?”

“I am. I’ve made my peace with Ersa, seen to her having the burial she would have wanted, and a farewell feast she would have loved, I’m sure. Damn, I can’t wait to get away from here. Helping you is the perfect excuse. Not that I wouldn’t want to help you, believe me I do. Erm… What do you need me for, Aloy?”

Aloy gestured to one of the houses. “Can we discuss this in private?”

“Oh, sure. Follow me. Make way!”

Aloy followed Erend as he elbowed his way through a throng of what looked like Oseram of a higher rank, going by the size of their weapons. Some of them wore the same shade of ochre that dominated Erend’s clothes, and Aloy assumed there were some of his clan members among them, haggling over claim distributions. They marched up a staircase that wound its way around the outside of a tower up to the top where Erend stepped through a door, beckoning Aloy inside and closing it behind her.

The top of the tower looked essentially like Petra’s quarters with its striking Oseram architecture. The tapestries covering the walls were different, though, and Aloy saw a lot of weapons mounted on stands, mostly axes, some of which looked so battered as if they’d been used in countless fights. One of the weapons she recognized as Ersa’s, apparently something Erend had kept to remember her. Erend sat down at a table and poured Aloy a cup of what luckily looked like water and not some kind of beer, then helped himself to a cup.

“So, what’s this secrecy about?” Erend asked after she had downed the water.

Aloy took a deep breath and told him everything, beginning with her plan to bring the Carja and the Nora closer together and making it possible for tribe members to cross the border, starting with trading. She told him of Avad’s and the High Matriarchs’ agreements, the Nora in Meridian, the trading trail and eventually the ambushed warriors and merchants. She carefully avoided talking about Teb, though, something that made her chest clench painfully since it felt like she left out the important role he’d play in this matter, but thinking about him hurt too much at the moment and she didn’t want to burden Erend with her issue.

When Aloy reached the part about the bandit camp, the Nora war party on their way to Free Heap and Petra’s support, Erend lifted his dark eyebrows and visibly tensed up, his heavy reinforced glove tightening around his cup.

“Damn that bandit scum. We’ve heard of Petra having trouble with raiders whenever one of her people came here, but I had no idea it’s that bad.”

Aloy nodded. “That’s what I need your help for, Erend. The bandit camp is larger and better equipped than any I’ve ever encountered. If we don’t wipe it out while they don’t expect an attack they’ll expand their territory and we can forget about Carja and Nora becoming allies.”

“Well, count yourself lucky, girl. I'm in. And my men too, I suppose. Most of my Vanguard companions came with me and they’re sitting on pins and needles now, itching to fight something after the long break,” Erend said.

“How many warriors do you have?”

“Enough, believe me. At least four dozen seasoned fighters armed to the teeth. Add the Oseram clan warriors from Pitchcliff that I can rally around here and we have an army. Sounds good to you?” Erend slurred, the hint of a proud smirk tugging at his lips.

“Can you ask them to fight for you and they’ll listen, Erend? I don’t have use for men that follow their own schedule,” Aloy remarked, remembering the attitude the more traditional Oseram had towards female leaders. “I’ve already scouted the camp and simply running towards the gates screaming will get us all killed, but there is a pipe we can use as an entrance to gain ourselves the element of surprise. This is something we need to do carefully or not at all.”

Erend canted his head and narrowed his eyes, shooting Aloy a sly wink. “Is that a subtle way of saying we’re not supposed to do it Oseram style? Because running towards something while screaming always worked so far.”

Aloy grinned, despite herself. “No objections to the screaming. All I’m saying is that you need to be able to coordinate the men when to charge, and where. Can you do that?”

“I can. I promise. After the battle at the Spire they’ve come to obey my every order if I hit the right tone. If you ask me to make them dance I definitely can.”

“That’s… not going to be necessary. Still, perfect. Thank you, Erend. I knew I could count on you.”

Erend nodded sincerely. “For you, always. Thank me when the area is in our hands again.”

They exchanged some strategic ideas after that, as well as news about the Shadow Carja battles Aloy knew from talking to Avad. It got dark outside, and after Aloy yawned against the back of her hand for the third time Erend stood up.

“Alright, time for you to sleep. I don’t want you to pass out on my table after not even having tried our booze,” he said. He gently took her arm and ushered her up form where she was sitting, but then hesitated, looking his quarters over. Aloy smiled despite her tiredness as he seemed to contemplate how to offer her to spend the night, and without her able to stop it her thoughts went back to Teb, and how she’d come to share his bed so long ago.

“A few furs on the floor are more than enough, Erend,” Aloy muttered, trying to ignore the lump in her throat.

“Sure? I mean, I could offer you my bed and sleep on the floor instead…” he ventured.

“No, thank you. I’m used to sleeping like that. Your quarters don’t even have sandstorms, it’s almost a palace for me.”

“Alright. See you tomorrow.”

Not much later Aloy was huddled under a pile of soft furs, listening to the sounds of Erend’s breathing getting slower as he fell asleep somewhere on the other side of his quarters. Sleep wouldn’t come at first, a terrible cold hollow next to Aloy where Teb usually slept, his warm, comforting body pressed against hers. Gritting her teeth, Aloy turned away and squeezed her eyes closed, but it didn’t help chasing away the image of Teb’s gentle, adoring smile.

-

Erend hadn’t been exaggerating when he had promised Aloy an army.

She rode her Broadhead around the bustling group of Oseram warriors, counting about a hundred men in heavy iron-studded armor, apparently holding an unspoken contest of who could wield the largest weapon without tipping over. They prepared to set out, loaded with enough ammunition and carts of tents and food to lay siege to the bandit camp if they had to, but Aloy guessed it was rather supposed to supply them during the journey. While Aloy made her checkup of the preparations the warriors were listening to Erend who instructed them once more on what they were going to do with his usual vigorous way of shouting commands. 

Aloy was glad and thankful that he made it clear the orders were coming from her and whoever didn’t like it could go home and suck their thumbs, as Erend put it, wanting to make sure the men understood that even when Erend was their captain Aloy was in charge of the strategic decisions. She was surprised that apart from a small group of Oseram belonging to a clan strange to her the others stayed, willing to help, and apparently looking forward to a good fight.

 _As long as they save the hostages and clean out the camp it’s fine with me, even if they make it a competition_ , Aloy mused with a raised eyebrow when she overheard a group of young warriors laying bets on who of them could kill most bandits.

The army set out just a day later, Aloy taking the lead together with Erend, slowly trotting by his side on the back of a Strider so she could scout ahead every now and then. They made good speed, on Aloy’s suggestion moving around the desert south of the central mountains to approach the camp from the southwest. She knew she had to focus on her task and plan ahead as well as she could, being responsible for so many lives together with Erend, but she found that she couldn’t quite bring her whole mind to it.

Aloy’s thoughts returned to Teb in every sleeping and waking moment, the painful memory of his shattering expression, her own bad conscience because of it and that horrible indecision about how on earth she was supposed to wrap her mind around her own feelings burning like a sweltering forest fire inside her core. Aloy felt tense, irritable and unfocused, and just like in the evenings before when the Oseram army set up their makeshift little tents to rest, she separated herself from the campfires where groups of warriors honed their weapons and shared noisy laughter over beer and roasted meat.

Aloy sat by a little fire alone, trying to eat some nut bread Teb had baked her for the journey, but the otherwise delicious taste only helped to make her feel even worse.

The sound of heavy boots on dried grass made her look up. Erend emerged from the shadows surrounding her campfire, illuminated by the sparks flying up to the stars.

“Hey, Aloy. Won’t you come and join the drinking game? Kardif’s wagered fifty shards that he can beat the record, that’s gonna be a sight you don’t want to miss,” he boomed, amusement in his voice. Aloy frowned, staring at the half-eaten nut bread in her hands.

“I guess I’ll miss it then. Thanks anyway.”

When Aloy peeked up again, she noticed Erend’s questioning gaze wandering over her. He turned around in the direction where the rough laugher and bawled drinking songs came from, turned back to her, sighed, shook his head and heavily slumped down next to Aloy.

For a moment, Erend didn’t speak, but when he did his voice was significantly more quiet and serious than before.

“I… don’t want to poke around in things that don’t concern me, but… Aloy, you seem horribly troubled ever since coming to the Claim, and for some reason I doubt it’s just because of the bandits,” he said carefully.

Aloy blinked and turned her gaze into the flames, ignoring the almost painful onslaught of heat against her face. She would rather jump right into the campfire than talking to anyone about this. She flinched when Erend’s hand carefully brushed her arm.

“Aloy, come on. I know what your battle face looks like, and the _I’m worried about the outcome of a fight_ -face. This is none of those. Dammit, it’s not even the _The fate of the world depends on me_ -face!” Erend pressed on. He gave Aloy’s shoulder a gentle nudge, finally causing her to squint up at him. His bright eyes were shining with sincere concern.

“You can trust me, Aloy. Not gonna tell anyone, I swear on the fires of the forge.”

Aloy looked back into the flames and sighed. About a year ago she wouldn’t even have considered talking about emotional matters to anyone, until Teb had grown close enough to her to become an exception. She’d learned that sometimes it even helped setting her restless mind at ease when she allowed him access to her innermost thoughts. Learned that sometimes it soothed a kind of pain she wasn’t able to heal by just swallowing it down. Erend wasn’t Teb, but he certainly was the closest friend Aloy had apart from Teb, and so far he’d never let her down.

Maybe it was worth giving it a try. She doubted it was possible to feel even more wretched.

“You do know what I can do should you break that promise, right?” she inquired, just to make sure.

Erend laughed. “Oh, I know, believe me. I don’t have a death wish, and I prefer my limbs remaining attached. I’ll hold my tongue, don’t you worry, Aloy.”

Aloy nodded, then took in a deep breath, her gaze turned into the fire once more.

“Well… there’s this guy…”

Erend almost jumped up next to her, lifting his hands in a defensive posture as if he was warding off a threat.

“Whoa, no, no, no,” he said. “Stop right there.”

Aloy frowned. “What? You asked me!”

Erend huffed, his face somewhere between a lopsided smirk and an expression as if he was biting into a really sour apple.

“Yeah, I know, I know. I asked, and I’m gonna listen like I promised. But, to be honest, I really need a drink to have _that_ kind of discussion with you, alright? Just a moment, I’ll be right back.”

Aloy blinked and watched Erend’s retreating back as he marched off towards the feasting noises. He returned with a heavy bottle in hand moments later, joining Aloy’s side again. Despite her mood, she couldn’t help a small smile spreading over her face as Erend took a healthy swig and handed her the bottle. Aloy took it after just a moment of hesitation. She very rarely drank alcohol since she didn’t like what it did to her head and vision, but in this particular occasion she couldn’t bring herself to care and put the bottle to her lips.

The strong Oseram brew burned all the way down Aloy’s throat and made her cough, but when she handed the bottle back to Erend she felt the alcohol warming up the cold hollow in her stomach. They spent another moment just sitting quietly side by side in front of the fire, handing the bottle back and forth with Aloy taking significantly smaller sips than Erend. The slight dizziness the drink created wasn’t entirely unpleasant and even if Aloy knew she wouldn’t touch the stuff often, it did help against that lingering feeling of dread, at least a little, and took away her tension enough that she felt able to speak.

“So… a guy, you say?” Erend inquired after Aloy was done coughing from her earlier swig. “Do I know him?”

“I… doubt it. His name is Teb.”

“Huh, Teb. Never heard that name. Sounds very Nora,” Erend replied.

“He is. Member of the tribe and everything.”

“Huh, for some reason I remember you weren’t too fond of the people that cast you out because of being born,” Erend remarked carefully.

Now, Aloy smiled, the memory of her first encounter with Teb flashing up in her mind. “Well, Teb is… different. I’ve first met him when I was a child, helping him out of a tricky situation. He tried to thank me, talked to me and Rost despite us being outcasts, and got deeply in trouble because of that. When I came to run in the Proving, the day I talked to you and Olin, he was waiting for me, after all those years. He’d never forgotten the unwanted little girl that helped him once. He gave me my first proper armor.”

“Oh, that blue and red leather ensemble you were wearing? Yeah, I remember. Nice of him,” Erend said, and it was obvious in his voice that he wasn’t quite sure where Aloy was going with her story, but she had decided to start from the beginning to make sure he understood.

“I believe I would have either gotten torn to shreds, shot or simply burnt if I had run the Proving in my outcast garb,” Aloy muttered, thinking of Rost for a moment, washing the memory down with another sip from the bottle. “Teb helped me, then. Just like that. Before I had never known how it is to receive gifts, or even a smile. Teb and I met again over the course of the events, every now and then, even at the Spire. He always followed me, tried to help where he could. He’d do anything for me if I asked him to.”

Erend hummed. “Sounds like a good guy.”

“Yes, he is. Teb is smart, and patient, and compassionate. Unlike other Nora he’s always been curious and open to other cultures, including outcasts. He never looked down on me, and never worshipped me like the other Nora did when they found out I wasn’t so useless after all. He simply treated me like a person ever since I knew him. Like somebody who matters just because I’m alive. He’s… so different from any other man I’ve ever met,” Aloy said quietly, her heart beating a little faster and hurting at the same time.

“If he’s left such an impression on you he must be an amazing warrior,” Erend commented.

“Oh no, Teb is not.”

Erend’s eyebrows rose. “Not?”

Aloy blushed and blinked, feeling her chest not warm up with shame, but with deep pride. “He’s… a Stitcher, a maker of garments, dresses and armor. The best armor you’ve ever seen, by the way. He voluntarily gave up the Proving in his time and decided to serve the tribe with his other skills. He can fight if he really needs to but I prefer if he doesn’t because it usually leads to him getting hurt. Teb is not very strong and terrible with a spear, but very brave, loyal and talented in his own way,” Aloy said, a soft chuckle creeping into her voice without her being able to stop it.

Erend looked slightly confused. “Okay, so if he’s that nice… What about him? Did he give you any trouble or what?”

Aloy shook her head and gazed into the flames. She took a deep breath and eventually told Erend what happened after she discovered Teb’s clothing stand in the Merdian market, about how she slowly moved into his home, their business arrangement giving Aloy a new purpose for her skills and their journey back into the Embrace to say farewell to Teb’s dying father, later their attempts to bring the Nora and Carja to a peaceful relationship, and how Teb’s talents had come to be of incredible value to their quest. Aloy mentioned that Teb and her had grown very close over time but she carefully left out just _how_ close. Still, she could tell by Erend’s raised brow that he was drawing a lot of conclusions inwardly. When she was done, he nodded, apparently deep in thought.

“So… and where’s your gloomy mood coming from? Teb seems to be a great friend to you, Aloy, or am I wrong?” Erend asked eventually.

Aloy stared at her hands clenched in her lap. How on earth was she supposed to express her problem?

“He’s… become more than a friend.”

“Uh-huh?” Erend ventured, signaling her to continue. When Aloy didn’t and just blushed, he added: “Got to hold hands with him already?”

“… Yes,” Aloy admitted.

“Okay… Kisses?”

“We did that too,” Aloy muttered. From the corner of her eye she saw Erend nod.

“Does your frown come from not being able to decide whether you want to do _more_ with him, or…?” Erend prompted, his carefulness not to upset her obvious in his tone.

Aloy’s heart beat so fast she was sure he must have heard. “We… have been there already. Many times, actually. Still are.”

Now, it was Erend’s turn to look a little flustered. “Oh, okay. Sorry. I see. But... I hope he’s not horrible in bed or anything, that’s not the reason for your mood?”

“No, it was… it _is_ amazing. Really, it… couldn’t be any better.”

“Well, congrats, then. Good for you.”

Aloy’s lips quirked into a half-hearted smirk and she peeked up at him. Erend was still smiling, and even when he seemed not exactly thrilled to listen to her issues with Teb he seemed more than willing to set that aside in favor of lending her an ear for her worries. Aloy brimmed with thankfulness, knowing that Erend had occasionally expressed a certain interest in her and was still willing to talk to her about her relationship with another man, just to help her feel better. He was a true friend, she realized, in a way she hadn’t come to acknowledge before.

“Thanks,” she said quietly and chuckled when Erend gave her a slap on the shoulder.

“Well, thanks for sharing that with me, Aloy, but I still don’t know why you’re sitting here with a face like curdled milk,” Erend replied.

Aloy sighed, deciding that now that she’d gone this far already, she might as well go all the way.

“Before I left, Teb confessed his love to me.”

Erend’s eyes widened a little more and a smile flashed across his face only to verge into a frown. “You’re saying that with a tone as if you found out that he has an incurable disease. Isn’t a love confession something good…?”

Aloy stared straight ahead. “I… I don’t know.”

“Huh… Well, how did you reply?”

Aloy’s cheeks burned, this time with shame and that angry heat bubbling up inside her. “I… “

Erend waited for her to answer, but she found that she couldn’t. Aloy stayed silent.

“Oh, shit… Don’t tell me you simply didn’t reply at all,” Erend said.

Aloy squeezed her eyes shut. _Everything_ hurt.

Next to her, she felt Erend shifting on his seat. She heard him sigh, and when she hesitantly opened her eyes again and peeked up at him he wore an expression somewhere between sorrow and pity.

“Erend, I… I’ve hurt Teb a lot, haven’t I?”

Erend made a vague, insecure gesture, but then relented, his shoulders dropping, and nodded. “Yeah, pretty much, I guess. Poor guy, he must have had such high hopes. Sorry, Aloy.”

Aloy felt like her heart was being torn apart. “I… don’t know what to do, Erend. I don’t know what to reply without hurting him. I don’t know what I feel. All I know is that I don’t want to leave him, but I don’t want to feel this terrible pressure either.”

Erend sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. He made to say something, but a sudden mess of loud shouts indicated that a brawl was about to happen somewhere between the tents where the bigger fires were. An Oseram warrior stumbled towards them, stopping in front of Aloy and Erend with a shaky salute that spoke of the amount of beer he’d already downed.

“Captain, Kardif’s won the bet, but Alrond’s found out he’s cheated, damn bastard. Watered down his Scrappersap. Might wanna check on them, Captain,” the warrior said.

“Oh, dammit, I can’t leave you alone for one moment, can I? I’m coming,” Erend replied. The warrior dashed back towards the fighting noises, probably not wanting to miss the best part. Erend turned to Aloy, an apologetic expression on his face.

“Sorry, Aloy. I have to make sure they leave each other alive,” he said. He breathed in deeply, then placed his hand on her shoulder once more. “About Teb… Aloy, going by what you told me, and the way you speak about him… I believe you know the answer already. Still, you have to decide where your feelings lie, because it’s obvious that there are feelings. If you don’t, you might lose him.”

Erend stood up and shot her one last glance, then vanished in the shadows. Aloy remained by the fire, shivering, feeling like a cold, dark hollow was filling her until there was nothing left but guilt.


	21. Chapter 21

XXI.

The silhouette of a Stormbird slowly made its way across the endless blue sky, glowing purple and yellow as Teb followed its movements with the focus. The Strider he was sitting on slowed down when it registered its rider’s concentration being elsewhere. Teb blinked and squinted against the bright light. If he wasn’t mistaken the Stormbird showed no signs of aggression whatsoever, soaring calmly over the mountains of Daytower far in the distance until it disappeared from the focus’ range.

Teb let out a sigh, deactivated the focus on his temple and clicked his tongue to urge the Strider into a canter. His journey to Free Heap so far had been more or less calm, luckily, a few days of stable weather without sandstorms or bandit encounters. He used Aloy’s focus as often as he could to make sure there was no sign of aggressive machines around, knowing he had little to no experience with reading tracks or fighting enemies should he encounter any, always ready to bolt and flee. Teb had already passed the Greatrun Hunting Grounds, stopping to stock up on fresh water and making his way to the north, towards where he knew Free Heap was located.

 _I just hope the Nora war party hasn’t arrived before me_ , Teb thought while carefully maneuvering his mount around a herd of grazing Broadheads. He was aware of the responsibility loaded on his shoulders, aware that he was a lot less charismatic and respected than Aloy, but he was determined not to let her down and make sure the Nora and Petra Forgewoman would get along. After all, Aloy’s backing depended on him.

Thinking of Aloy made his throat feel too tight to breathe, and he had to inhale slowly. Ever since Teb had suddenly confessed his love to Aloy and she’d simply left after staring at him with confusion and fear flashing up in her eyes he had been a mess, reeling from a horrible onslaught of emotions. Teb had cried a lot, quietly when he was alone in his makeshift tent, knowing that fighting the tears slowly running down his cheeks would only make him hurt more, so he allowed it to happen. Afterwards he often felt better, soothed, but not well, a deep, aching hollow in his heart.

The strongest emotion warring for dominance in Teb’s mind was guilt, surprisingly. He’d been so sure that Aloy loved him, her deep feelings for him obvious in her trust, her body language and the way she looked at him when they laughed together. He’d been so sure that if he confessed her the love he felt for her ever since they’d met, she would be able to answer. Turns out he’d been wrong. Teb sighed deeply, his cheeks heating up with shame and his eyes burning. He knew he had misjudged Aloy’s feelings for him, or at least her willingness to acknowledge them. Even if she returned his love in some manner, he had still taken her aback, scared her, driven her into a corner with that sudden revelation. He deeply regretted putting this much pressure on Aloy in that already tense situation.

Teb’s chest felt as if it was filled with ice when he remembered Aloy’s horrified expression.

 _Did I push her away from me?_ Teb asked himself for the hundredth time without being able to stop his own thoughts. _Did I just lose her?_

 _It can’t be,_ Teb thought firmly, but the fear tying an iron band around his heart betrayed him. He couldn’t live without Aloy, but he wasn’t sure if she’d come back to his side and if they could keep living like they did before, content, as a couple, every emotion between them unspoken and only visible in the gaze they exchanged when they pressed close to each other. Maybe that was over now, Aloy too spooked, too pressured to feel comfortable around Teb anymore, and the thought pained Teb more than anything else he’d ever felt.

 _At least we’ve had a wonderful year together_ , a part of Teb wanted to add, but he fought it down, blinking tears away. It was a lie. Before getting together with Aloy, in the times of his hopeless, romantic dreams, he’d always thought he could forget Aloy someday should she never come to return his advances. Once she’d grown this close to him, though, Teb had been swept away, lost forever, his dedication to Aloy the spark that kept him alive. Once he’d tasted that strange fruit that was Aloy’s affection, he’d found himself unable to live without it.

Teb couldn’t let her go, and even thinking about losing her after all they’d shared threatened to tear him apart.

He sighed deeply, checked if the two small silver keys hidden in the pouch around his neck were still there and continued his way alongside the river, hours melting into one blur until it was time to take another rest. In the early morning he continued and in the afternoon a large, black cloud of smoke rising up in front of the northern mountain range told him that he’d found Free Heap. Encouraged, Teb sped up the Strider, determined to reach the settlement before nightfall. Last night he’d spotted a group of what he suspected where bandits moving about a good distance away from him, recognizing their spears and strange, spiked armor through the focus. Teb had stayed quiet as a mouse, not made a move, and luckily the bandits hadn’t seen him, but he wasn’t willing to take any risks and hurried to reach Oseram territory.

The village responsible for the clouds of forge smoke, Free Heap, was the first Oseram settlement Teb had ever seen, and when he stopped his Strider in front of the sturdy, iron-studded walls he couldn’t help but feel intimidated at the hostile, defensive look of the village, more like a fortress permanently built for war then a place to live peacefully in. Noises of shouting, hissing bellows and the constant clanking of hammers to steel were audible even through the heavy gate, and the plumes of smoke rising from the village were combining in a thick, dark cloud above it. Still, thinking of the promise he’d given Aloy, Teb dismounted the Strider and straightened his back, trying to appear friendly and approachable as he led his mount towards the wooden gate.

His appearance led to some discussions with the guards until mentioning Aloy’s name granted him access and he was led to the woman he’d already seen during the battle at the Spire. Petra Forgewoman seemed surprised to see a Nora riding a machine that wasn’t Aloy, but still took him in and listened to his story. When Teb mentioned his name and the business he had shared with Aloy, something sly crept into Petra’s expression and she shot him a decidedly dirty wink.

“Oh, you’re _that_ Teb, aren’t you? A little skinnier than I would have imagined Aloy’s taste to be, but who am I to judge. She always seemed to prefer mind over muscle. She spoke very highly of you,” Petra commented. Teb blushed, his heart both beating with pride and shame as he thought of Aloy, and the way she’d stared at him before she had left. Teb desperately tried to focus on his mission and told Petra about the Nora war party coming to support Aloy as backup when she planned to fight the bandits.

“She even lured the other Nora out of their hideout in the mountains? Never failing to impress, that girl,” Petra commented with a laugh, and that was what settled it.

Petra readily declared to host the Nora war party as soon as they arrived, and Teb waited, knowing that one part of his mission had been successful. Petra offered him a place to sleep in one of the huts and Teb thanked her for everything, but he still barely found a moment to rest. His thoughts kept circling around Aloy, his feeling of being incomplete getting more painful with every passing day. He often caught himself standing on the walls of Free Heap, staring out in the distance with the focus, hoping to see her familiar red mane riding over the place to reunite with him, to tell him she’d made up her mind, that she wasn’t angry with him, that she’d join his side again. Even if Aloy decided she didn’t quite love Teb the way he felt for her, he would give anything just to have her back the way they were living before.

He tried distracting himself by watching the Oseram work, but their way of making armor by heating up raw iron and hammering it into the desired shape was so different from the way he made clothing that he barely learned anything useful. Luckily, about three days after his arrival in Free Heap a cloud of sand in the distance indicated the approach of a large group of people that turned out to be the Nora warriors. They stopped a little distance outside the gates, still wary when facing the Oseram fortress. Teb approached them on his mount and found out that the war party was led by Varl. Teb was aware that Varl still held some kind of unspoken grudge towards him since he seemed to have figured out that Teb spent a lot of time with Aloy, time Varl would most probably rather claim for himself, but he still managed to patiently talk the Braves into entering the settlement.

Osric was there as well, accompanied by Zeera, Teb wasn’t surprised to see. While most Braves went about to first carefully and after a few sips of beer more boldly inspect weaponry and forges in the village, Teb went to talk to Osric.

“I see you’ve recovered,” Teb said after greeting the tall, sturdy warrior. Osric laughed.

“You know, nothing can bring a Bellowback down,” Osric replied. “I can’t possibly miss out on that fight, can I?”

“Thank you for coming,” Teb said with a smile. “And you too, Zeera.”

“I’m just here to make sure he doesn’t accidentally hurt himself, oaf that he is,” the Carja envoy commented with a snarky grin and nudged Osric’s ribs with her elbow.

“Oh, come on, I don’t need help…” he muttered, but the smile he exchanged with Zeera betrayed him.

“I didn’t see you complaining about my company so far, big boy,” Zeera teased.

Osric actually blushed a little, the pink hue looking strangely out of place under the blue war paint. Teb just grinned, knowing what was going on between them, but a moment later he had to swallow painfully when he was reminded of Aloy again. He excused himself politely and went to tie his Strider to a pole before sitting down by himself on the wall to work on an embroidery, staring out at the horizon.

-

Teb’s mission in Free Heap had come to a state of waiting for any signs of the bandit camp fight, he knew, so he waited impatiently, worrying for Aloy. He just hoped she’d managed to find Erend and gathered the support she needed. There was nothing more he could do after making sure the Nora war party was ready to help them should the need backup. Petra, Varl and some other high-ranking Braves had even come to discuss the possibility of founding a new village, Mother’s Hand like Aloy had suggested, between free Heap and Daytower to offer travelers a safe resting point and keeping the area safe, and while Varl was strictly against it some others were inclined to agree, especially Osric and his companions.

“It’s not the Carjas’ fault our people got attacked by bandits, after all,” he reasoned, subtly reaching for Zeera’s hand. “And settling down in the Sundom, I wouldn’t mind.”

The state of waiting lasted until a few days after the arrival of the Nora, when suddenly Zeera approached Teb with an alerted expression on her face.

“Teb, I need you to do me a favor. Us all, actually,” she said, sounding urgent.

Teb looked up from the embroidery he’d been working on and blinked at her. “If I can, of course. What’s wrong?”

“I’ve just noticed by the red smoke rising above the Daytower mountains that the changing of the guards will take place soon. If Aloy and Erend attack the bandit camp at the same time and the Carja guards run into the bandit fight there might be innocent victims, we can’t let that happen!”

Teb made a gesture to ask her to slow down. “Wait, Zeera, please explain. What changing of the guards? I’ve never heard of that.”

Zeera rolled her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. “The guard personnel at the watchtowers don’t stay there forever, you know. There is a duty roster. The guards change every season, and the changing usually involves dozens of traders taking the chance of a large group of warriors moving about to form a caravan, joining the guards to travel to Daytower. When the changing of the guards takes place they light the fires up on the watchtowers in the mountains, you can see them at night,” she explained. Teb nodded, understanding.

“And in case Aloy’s bandit fight doesn’t go as planned and groups of bandits flee in the direction of the road…” Teb began.

“… they’ll run right into the travelling merchants and guards and there’ll be a horrible massacre,” Zeera finished.

“What do you want me to do about that, Zeera? I’m not a warrior,” Teb remarked.

“Maybe not, but you’re faster than any of us when mounted on a machine. You could carry a warning towards Morning’s Watch, so they can exchange messages with other towers and gates and take special care on the road, or even wait until the territory is safe again before setting out with dozens of civilians in tow,” Zeera suggested.

Teb blinked, thinking about her plea. He felt a little pressured and somewhat fearful, knowing that he’d promised Aloy to remain behind Free Heap’s thick walls as soon as he had completed his mission. Still, Zeera’s reasoning made sense and he understood why she needed his help. He’d actually felt relatively secure with Aloy’s focus as a warning device and the Strider. It would be only a short riding trip back to the road to Morning’s Watch and then right back into safe territory, Teb told himself. It was what Aloy would do, in any case.

He made a decision.

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you, Teb.”

Teb set out the same afternoon, after telling Petra and Varl where he was going and accepting a message to the watchtower guards from Zeera who acted as royal envoy and was well known to the Carja. He promised to be back soon and steered his Strider towards the mountains, taking the road south. While he rode, his gaze kept flicking to the mesa in the northwest. He knew the bandit camp was there, somewhere, and maybe Aloy as well, getting ready to risk her life to make the world a better place once more. His admiration and love to her was unchanged, but it also made his chest clench painfully when he thought of her, and what would happen between them as soon as they met again.

 _I just hope she’ll stay by my side_ , Teb thought darkly. Thinking of the opposite was unbearable.

He reached Morning’s Watch less than two days after setting out, delivering the message from Zeera. The captain of the stationed guards knew of the duty roaster change but the information about the bandit camp was new to him, and he listened intently to Teb reporting to him that for a while the road might be too dangerous to travel until the bandit camp was cleared once and for all. The captain agreed to let the other stations and watchtowers know to hold back the changing of the guards for a while longer.

“Should you see that red-haired madcap again, tell her to be careful, and thank her for everything she’s doing,” the Carja captain asked Teb.

“I will,” Teb said, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

Task accomplished, Teb set out again, leaving Morning’s Watch behind to get back to Free Heap as soon as he could. He felt watched, even though the focus didn’t reveal any dangers apart from dozing, calm Snapmaws along the river coast. He knew he’d be safe again once reaching the thick stone walls of Free Heap again and hurried to get there. The next morning Teb reached the area east of the mesas, still looking out for signs of a fight. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not, but there seemed to be a suspiciously looking dark shroud above the mesa where he guessed the bandit camp was, but he lacked the experience of telling weather signs in the desert and knew it might as well be a natural phenomenon.

 _All-Mother, if Aloy’s fighting the bandits now, make sure she is safe. Protect her_ , Teb prayed quietly. He sighed and pressed his Strider on, some kind of lurking instinct making his skin crawl. Cautiously, e activated his focus and checked the area. When he heard a deep growl Teb flinched and spun around.

A Ravager was slumping towards the river coast, its usually so powerful steps heavy and erratic. It creaked with every movement, sparks and machine oil oozing out from deep gashes in its hull like blood from a wound. It was injured, its headlights burning bright orange as if it was seeking for the creature that had attacked it. When it spotted Teb it growled again and ducked its head, the cannon on its back slotting into place.

“Run,” Teb whispered to the Strider and dug his heels into the machine’s flank, urging it to bring some distance between him and the injured Ravager. He knew wounded machines could still be aggressive, still remembering the Thunderjaw attacked by bandits that had not hesitated to attempt to trample him and Aloy in its anger. The large predator didn’t seem to follow Teb and instead slinked away to the river, spilling oil as it retreated, but Teb didn’t slow down, just in case, turning back over his shoulder every now and then.

While he left the Ravager behind, Teb unconsciously wondered what had hurt the Ravager since he’d not seen any other large machines in the area.

 _Or, rather,_ who _had hurt it_ , he suddenly thought with fear bubbling up inside him, but the thought came too late.

There was a sudden movement, the flash of something glowing being tossed, and then a horrible explosion that made Teb’s ears ring and blurred out his vision as the ground approached him at an alarming speed. The Strider was swept off its feet and crashed heavily into the ground. Teb was rocked from its back and instinctively curled into a ball, rolling through a thicket of tall grass. Numb and aching, he vaguely registered an angry human shout followed by the sound of a spear stabbed into something metal, then the pained whicker of the Strider, and sudden silence.

Coughing, Teb carefully sat up, hearing footsteps approaching him. He blinked the dust from his eyes, managing to kneel, when a shadow loomed above him.

“Well, what do we have here? A wandering Nora, on the back of a machine? I don’t know how you made that beast obey you, but that doesn’t matter now. Two birds with one stone, must be my lucky day!” a raspy voice slurred. “Stand up.”

Teb finally regained most of his senses, shaking his head to clear his vision. He didn’t seem to have broken any bones, but everything hurt after his fall. He looked up and was greeted with a smug grin exposing bad teeth, sitting in a face crusty with dirt and dark red warpaint. It was not a nice grin.

“I said stand up!” the man growled, now pressing the point of a battered, but very sharp spear against Teb’s collarbone. Teb held his breath, praying the man didn’t just move the point forward, and carefully stood up with his palms open.

“I don’t want to fight you,” Teb said quietly. The man just snickered. Going by his ragged armor, the red wrappings of tattered cloth and the weapon that clearly seemed like something he’d stolen from another tribe Teb knew it was a bandit, fear making his chest clench painfully. The bandit didn’t seem like one of the higher ranking men, since he had no sharpened pipes sticking out from behind his back and neither was he sporting a threatening headdress, his armor light and simple, but he was still heavily armed, causing Teb to suspect he was a lower-ranking scout waylaying travelers on his own. Teb sighed inwardly; he’d been so close to reaching Free Heap again.

“Oh, I’m sure you don’t want to fight Mad Rhas. Everyone who wanted is rotting in the desert now. Boy, what a scrawny little wimp I’ve caught here. Don’t tell me you don’t even have a weapon!”

“I’m not a warrior,” Teb answered as calmly as possible, suspecting by the sharp glint in Mad Rhas’ eyes that the lopsided smirk could easily morph into a frenzied grimace of anger and deciding to be very careful about what he said.

“Boarshit! Every Nora is a warrior, probably even your damn babies. The ones we ambushed and caught recently certainly were a nasty bunch. They make good slaves, you know,” Mad Rhas replied. Teb’s heart beat faster for a moment. So there were surviving Nora in the bandit camp, held captive. He hoped Aloy managed to save them, but the larger part of his mind was trying to figure out how to get out of this alive.

“I’m not. What do you want?” Teb asked carefully.

“What a stupid question! I want everything you have, shards, goods, anything. And then I’ll cut your throat and head home, that’s what I want. By the sun, what a pathetic thing you are.”

Teb breathed heavier, panic rising inside him that he desperately tried to hide. He had no change in a fight, he knew, but Mad Rhas didn’t seem the smartest type to him and maybe Teb could talk himself out of the situation.

“Please don’t kill me. I promise I won’t try and follow you to take back my belongings. I’ll just let you go, I swear,” he pleaded, trying to sound as calm as possible. As he had hoped, Mad Rhas’ face twisted into a mixture of a confused frown and a condescending smirk.

“You, and follow me to challenge your stuff back? Hah, of course! I’m shaking like a leaf! Without weapons and that pet machine of yours you’d be dead within a day!” he sneered.

“I could try,” Teb said, picking up on the bandit’s gloating amusement.

Mad Rhas burst into laughter. “Aren’t you a funny little fellow. You know what, maybe I won’t cut your head off, and just leave you here to get shredded by wild machines, or break an ankle and die of thirst and hunger. Everything else would be too easy. But now, open your pockets. Give me everything.”

Teb sighed, hoping that he’d managed to talk the bandit into at least leaving him alive. He carefully took his bag of shards from his belt and opened it for Mad Rhas to peek inside, telling by his greedy smirk that he was satisfied with the amount of shards he saw. Teb readily handed the bag over.

“What’s in your other pockets? Show me!” Mad Rhas growled, hastily stashing the bag away.

Teb opened his other pockets as well, most of them containing food like dried berries and meat, some small Stitcher tools and needles. Mad Rhas huffed in frustration when he saw that Teb didn’t carry anything else of worth he could salvage, but he still took his food from him.

“Not bad, but could be a lot better, wimp,” he sneered. Then, his eyes flicked to the pouch around Teb’s neck.

“What’s in there?”

Now, Teb tensed up. The shards he hardly cared about, he had more of them back in his home in Meridian, but he needed the small keys, one of them to his door and the other to his chest with his savings. He didn’t doubt that he could simply ask the royal guards to break open his door since they knew very well he lived there, but he still didn’t want his keys in the hands of a bandit.

“Nothing of use for you, I’m afraid,” Teb answered and showed Mad Rhas the keys. Teb’s eyes widened when Mad Rhas grinned and still snatched them from his hands. “Hey, I thought…”

“Shut it! The captain of my squad collects keys, you know, to briefly show them to captured traders and such to make them believe he’s got the keys to their homes, threatening them to go and have a look at their wives. Works a charm to make them talk,” Mad Rhas grinned. “He always needs new ones. He’ll give me an extra ration of booze for these.”

In a short fit of protest, Teb made to reach out to take them back, but the warning click of Rhas’ tongue and the raised spear caused him to draw his hand back. At least he was alive, he told himself. Crestfallen, Teb watched as Mad Rhas stashed his keys into a fold of his dirty tunic somewhere at his chest.

“Alright, that’s it, little guy. I guess I’ll go now and leave you to… Hey, hold on! What’s that?”

Teb, who’d almost allowed himself to finally breathe out, suddenly tensed again when Mad Rhas gestured excitedly to his head.

“What’s what?” he asked warily.

“Don’t be stupid! That shiny thing on your temple, what’s that? Looks like some weird jewelry.”

Teb’s hand unconsciously went to his temple, and white-hot panic rose inside him.

 _He means the focus… Oh no, not Aloy’s focus, not that, everything but not that…_ he thought desperately, his mind racing, trying to come up with a way to persuade the bandit to leave him at least the focus. Aloy had trusted him with it, he couldn’t lose it.

“That’s… a trinket my grandma gave me. It’s a Nora symbol for respect of women, usually worn by lowly servants,” Teb lied, trying to come up with a story that made the focus seem as unattractive to steal as possible.

Mad Rhas made a face and spit on the ground. “Respect and women, aye? Hah, there’s just one way to respect women and that’s when you turn them around and bend them over! Anyway, give it to me.”

Teb tensed. He couldn’t lose the focus. “No, it’s… It’s worthless for anyone but Nora servants. It has no use.”

“Are you deaf? Hand it over, I said.”

“Please, no…” Teb muttered desperately and took a step back. He gasped when he suddenly found himself with the point of a spear aiming right between his eyes.

“I said…” Mad Rhas growled dangerously. “… hand it over, or I’ll cut if off your stupid face.”

Breathing heavily, tears stinging in his eyes, Teb took the focus from his temple and gave it to Mad Rhas who turned it over in the sunlight, eyeing it judgingly.

“Huh, doesn’t look like much, but it glitters. I guess I’ll give it to one of them girls in the camp, maybe that’ll do something for me. They don’t need to know its meaning, right?” he asked, a dirty, unpleasant smirk on his face. “And now run, little rabbit, before I lose my patience with you.”

Teb stayed for just a moment, hands clenched at his sides, wanting to bring himself to do _something_ but knowing that he didn’t have a chance. Faltering, shame burning on his cheeks, he carefully stepped back. He watched helplessly as Mad Rhas shot him a mocking salute and put Aloy’s beloved focus in his pocket. Then the bandit turned and marched on, spitting on the dead Strider as he walked past.

Teb turned, an unwanted tear running down his cheek as he walked in the opposite direction. He wasn’t even sure where to go and neither did he care, a horrible feeling of failure making his chest clench painfully. He’d disappointed Aloy for the second time now, he had lost his Strider and no idea how he could make it back to Free Heap on his own. He stared up at the sky and took a shuddering breath, clenching his hands to keep them from shaking.

 _Aloy would tell me pull myself together and move on_ , Teb thought firmly. He concentrated on breathing slowly, imagining Aloy’s beautiful smile and the fierce, determined shine in her eyes, her warm hands on his shoulders when she leaned up to kiss him. The image hurt, but it still managed to rekindle some kind of hope in him. Only if he stayed brave now he had a chance to see her again, and no matter how their next meeting would go, all Teb wanted was to be with her once more.

His determination back, Teb followed the river, trying to judge the distance between his location and Free Heap and Meridian, respectively. He knew he had to decide whether to move south or north. Moving north would bring him closer to the outskirts of Free Heap, but it might lead him into bandit territory again. Walking south seemed like the better option, for now, and he started walking along the river coast, towards the sun.

-

The echoing blast of the explosives Aloy had deposited in the pipe leading into the camp still rung in the mesa like the remnants of a thunderstorm. It had not only blasted the tunnel free to offer the Oseram troops an easy entrance right into the centre of the camp, but also effectively distracted the bandits from the frontal assault Erend was leading at the same time the explosion went off. The bandits found themselves encircled all of a sudden, enemies seemingly coming from everywhere at once without a warning, raging Oseram and a Nora girl riding on the back of a Charger battling their way through their rows like reapers through weed. The smoke from the explosion opening up the tunnel to the camp still hung like a shroud above the camp, rising up like mist and making the confusion among the bandits even worse.

Aloy joined Erend’s side, leaving the damaged Charger to itself as the injured machine bucked and kicked its way through a last desperate squad of bandit elites, scattering them to make easy targets for the Oseram cannons. Erend fought back to back with Aloy, axe and spear united. They were winning, she knew, but she was still wary of any bandits reforming outside their camp as they flew from the battlefield.

“Almost made it,” she hissed over the noise of the fighting. Erend laughed loudly.

“Yeah, shame! I was just warming up!”

Not long after, the battle was over, and Aloy signaled Erend to regroup his men. A few bellowed orders later the remaining Oseram warriors were assembled in front of the gates, together with the captives they’d freed from the camp. Aloy had soon discovered the heavy lid leading to an underground dungeon, and together they had helped the hostages back up into the sunlight. All kinds of tribe people were present, including some of the Nora from the ambush on the road. There were a lot of greetings and cheers while they cared for the wounded.

“Status report?” Aloy asked Erend, wiping the sweat off her brow.

“Five losses, one of them the injured Banuk that died after we took him out of the dungeon. Had a fever, poor guy. The others are Oseram. Good lads, they died with their axes carving through the bandits,” Erend replied.

Aloy nodded respectfully. “I… thank you, Erend. Your men were brave, all of them.”

Erend returned the nod. “And now?”

“Well, I can’t tell for sure without my focus, but I’ve seen the one of the groups with flamethrowers running off to the east. I’ll follow them. There’s not that many of them but with their weapons they can still wreak havoc on guards or civilians should they reach the next gate,” Aloy said. “Position some men here to hold the camp, in case there’s bandit scouts coming back. You and the others shoulder make their way to Free Heap. We’ll meet there with the Nora war party, hopefully. Maybe I’ll catch up to you before, depending on how quick I am.”

 _If Teb has managed to bring the Oseram and Nora together_ , Aloy mused, knowing that he wouldn’t let her down.

Erend nodded. “Alright. I’ll get the men ready to move on and leave some of the best boys here to hold this damn monster of a fortress. I can’t believe the tunnel thing worked. Are you sure you can handle the bandits alone?”

Aloy nodded. “It’s just a few, and I happen to have those handy fire arrows. They’ve proven to get rid of blaze canisters quite efficiently, including the person carrying them.”

Erend laughed. “Alright. See you in Free Heap, Aloy. Take care.”

They exchanged a touch on the shoulder and Aloy whistled for a mount. She rode away from the battlefield into the desert, determined to catch up to the fleeing bandits before they could cause any damage while Erend shouted orders behind her. Aloy tried looking for tracks while mounted, something that had gotten slightly more difficult without her focus to aid her. She still spotted a trickle of blaze and footprints in the sand as she rode. Aloy looked closer and frowned, sure that some of the traces resulted from fleeing humans, long distances between the steps as if they were running, while one set of footprints was less messy, with shorter steps, as if there was another additional person quietly following the bandits. Aloy huffed and pressed her mount to a higher speed.

-

It had been a very good day for Mad Rhas. That skinny Nora had been an easy catch, not even trying to defend himself against his far superior opponent. Still, when telling his captain and the girls about the encounter Mad Rhas would certainly embellish his story a little, maybe making it four angry Nora armed to the teeth instead of one wimpy kid.

Rhas touched the pouch on his belt as he wandered back over a sandy hill towards the camp, grinning when he heard the clinking of shards. His hand went to the fold of his shirt somewhere on his chest where he’d put the keys to see if they were still there. They were, and he was sure it would certainly impress the captain. His fingers ran over the triangular shape of that strange little trinket the Nora had on him and Rhas pulled it out, examining it once more.

It didn’t look like much but is was shining, and he knew that if there was something that would make that stubborn little slut Kiri in the camp finally warm up to him it was glittering gifts. Mad Rhas tried to remember how the Nora had worn it. He’d had it stuck to his temple in some way, but he’d be damned if he knew how. Rhas decided he should figure it out before giving the triangle away to Kiri, otherwise she’d only mock him again if he gave her jewelry he didn’t even know how to wear.

Mad Rhas placed the triangle above his right ear, cursing wildly when he felt a slight sting as if the piece of metal fastened itself on his skin like an oversized mosquito. He went to pull it off again, but as soon as he touched it once more his jaw dropped and he froze on the spot.

His world exploded in a myriad of colors, purples and blues intertwining like a spider web, pink hues drifting over the sand and glowing spots dancing in front of his eyes almost like that one time he’d smoked dried mushrooms. Blinking with amazement, Mad Rhas turned his head to chase that image, giggling to himself as he stared at the swirling colors. He wandered about, not caring where he went, feeling lightheaded and hypnotized as he chased that shining network of lights, stumbling around like a drunkard.

Suddenly a shape appeared, like a Banuk drawing of a machine, purple lines forming a large body, a bright yellow glow like the sun in the middle, like a big chunk of gold, surrounded by a network of pink. There were scribbled words but he didn’t know how to read. Mad Rhas couldn’t help but stagger towards it, drawn to it, looked around himself, turned and spun to make the colors dance, until he arrived at the figure of light, trying to reach out to take that large sphere of gold, to make it his.

There was a warning bleat, a growl that got increasingly louder the closer he got, and when he finally stabbed his spear into the sphere of glowing gold to pry it out of its hold the growl turned into an earsplitting roar. The ground shook and Rhas almost fell, and that was what finally chased away the lights and the colors, and the world snapped back into place, dark and unforgiving.

The last thing Mad Rhas saw was a raging Trampler charging towards him like an avalanche of steel, and then his world exploded in an inferno of heat and thunder and flames.

-

Teb slowly wandered along the riverbed, occasionally crouching by the water to drink after having made sure there were no dead animals in the stream and drenching his shirt to cool down his body. The sun was about to sink and he knew he’d have to find a shelter to sleep soon. Without the focus, weapons and the mount he’d be crazy to continue his way in the dark. He decided to keep going until he’d fine some kind of rock formation offering a hideout. His stomach grumbled and Teb sighed, already missing the jerky Mad Rhas had taken from him. He looked for fruits but only found a handful of shriveled berries that didn’t taste like anything, but at least it was something he could chew while he walked. All the while his hand kept moving back to the empty pouch around his neck and to his temple, but no matter how terrible he felt about the prospect of having to confess to Aloy that he lost her focus to a bandit he still burned with the wish to see her again, to make it right, to explain himself, to tell her that as long as she wanted to stay by his side he wouldn’t press her to answer. As long as she could accept that he quietly loved her he would be happy with it.

 _I need her so much I’m feeling like I’m coming undone_ , Teb thought darkly, staring up at the night sky.

When the moon started to rise and the sky turned from copper to inky blue, Teb began looking for a safe place to sleep. He stopped suddenly when something caught his eye, a small, orange flicker within a dark shadow cast by a rock overhang.

Teb crouched, carefully moving closer. It might be bandits, but he wanted to at least find out who made a camp there. If it were friendly people, like Carja traders taking a break, he’d have food and warmth and safety, at least for a while. If he could see just one sign of danger he’d leave, he decided.

There were people around the fire, Teb could see as he slowly crept closer through the rocky sand, quite a large number of them. He also spotted big triangular shapes, tents maybe, as if there was a big group of humans setting up a camp with several bonfires. Bandits didn’t sleep in tents, Teb was sure, but it didn’t look like anything he had already seen before. When he got close enough to hear voices he was mildly surprised to realize that it was mainly loud laughter and bawled songs.

Curious, hope flaring up inside him, Teb sneaked closer still. Something suddenly bumped against his ankle and he gasped, flinching to the side, tripping clumsily over a rock and stepping on a dry branch.

There was a sharp cracking sound as the branch broke beneath his foot. Teb immediately froze and ducked lower like a startled rabbit, watching the camp to see if anyone had heard him. He saw some dark shapes moving about, but couldn’t make out if they walked around because of him or because of whatever job they had to do.

“Alright, buddy, hands up! Show yourself!”

Teb tensed, frozen to the spot, suddenly aware of the man that had snuck up on him from his blind angle while he was watching the camp. Cursing his inexperience, he slowly stood up and turned until he could see the other man, illuminated by the lights of the fires.

It was a quite tall, broad-shouldered Oseram, clad in heavy armor with orange and ochre-colored stripes on the parts of his clothing that wasn’t studded with iron. His light blue eyes were flashing with a quiet warning, and he had distinct brown burnsides and a stripe of hair on his otherwise neatly shaved head. He held an impressively large axe, pointed at Teb.

When Teb turned to the man, he lowered the axe and cocked his head.

“Oh, a Nora? Sorry, I thought you were a bandit for a moment. Did you escape the camp during the attack?”

“No, I was going to Free Heap. I got ambushed by a stray bandit on the way,” Teb said, suddenly having the hope that this man knew where Aloy was if he was involved in the bandit fight. “Who are you?”

“I’m Erend. You gonna tell me your name too, buddy?”

“Teb.”

Teb flinched when the man almost dropped his axe, his eyes opening widely in surprise.

-

Aloy didn’t know if she was supposed to be glad or not that it hadn’t been her task to kill the fleeing bandits.

She’d tracked the group of bandits a long while north, still frowning at the puzzling additional set of footprints that looked like it belonged to a person that quietly followed the bandits just like she did now. Behind a curve in the river she’d finally found out, and groaned at the simplicity of the answer.

 _I should have known_ , Aloy thought when she was greeted with Nil’s bloodstained smile. He stood within a group of very dead bandits, their blaze canisters still untouched as if he’d suddenly appeared in their middle to cut their throats.

He waved to her when she approached him. “Aloy. And there we are again, standing in front of each other with blood under out feet. Isn’t it delightful?”

“Charming. What are you doing here, Nil?”

Nil didn’t answer and just jerked his head towards the dead bandits. Aloy nodded.

“Yeah, I see. Don’t explain. Did you miss any?”

“Does it look like it?”

“Forget that I asked. Did you know there was a large bandit camp that Erend, his Oseram and I just rooted out? You should have been there,” Aloy said, not quite sure why she even bothered to encourage his favorite hobby. For some reason his presence would have given her some security during the fight, she supposed, even if their risk had been relatively small.

“I was aware, but didn’t know where exactly they were. I thought following these would bring me to their camp,” Nil replied.

“Well, looks like they were not very helpful with their necks cut open,” Aloy remarked dryly.

Nil grinned. “I asked them and they said they were moving away from the remnants of the camp, so I thought I’d relieve them of their misery. Where are you headed now?”

In retrospective, maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to tell Nil that Aloy was about to travel to Free heap to meet with the Oseram, Petra, the Nora war party and most of all Teb, but she also told Nil that he should keep his eyes open for other fleeing bandits moving about, something that he eagerly took to heart with almost scary enthusiasm. He’d said good bye to Aloy and wandered off, dagger drawn, looking for more occasions to cut throats. As always when it came to Nil Aloy felt something between disgust and appreciation, knowing that he was around to make the area even more hostile for remaining raiders being a quite reassuring thought.

Aloy continued her way alone while the sun went down, glad to have that issue out of the way. She went north, towards Free Heap, and immediately her thoughts strayed back to Teb without her able to do anything about it. That horrible tension was still there, the mixture of frustration at his sudden love confession and the cold emptiness in her stomach caused by her feelings of guilt, the knowledge that she’d hurt him a lot. She still didn’t know what to do about it, how to apologize, how to answer, not even how to explain herself without making the wound she struck even worse.

Aloy didn’t want to lose Teb, but had no idea how to do that. Maybe she could just tell him she was sorry for leaving him there and that she really appreciated his company, but that she’d like to wait with any confessions until she felt ready for them.

 _Aloy, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever come up with_ , Aloy chided herself, her cheeks burning up with shame. Teb was nothing but patient, gentle and caring, his devotion to her unmatched and each and every one of his action dedicated to make her happy, and all she had to offer him in return was taking his feelings and stomping them into the dust. Aloy felt selfish and torn and it pained her that her own mind had turned on her like this, as if suddenly she was a puzzle she was unable to solve.

She sighed deeply and pressed her mount on, moving through the tall grass along the river towards the north as the sun slowly wandered into the west. The Charger she rode made good speed and she was confident to reach Free Heap the next day if she hurried.

Suddenly, a glint caught her eye, sunlight reflected on metal. Aloy frowned and stopped her mount. When she turned it she discovered the carcass of a machine in the dry grass, deciding that it couldn’t hurt if she salvaged it for shards and wire. She dismounted and got closer until she realized it was a Strider and bent down to harvest the machine.

It was only when Aloy suddenly saw the blue cables growing out from the machine’s neck that her fingers went still, her breathing stuttering to a stop.

It was an overridden Strider, the hull torn and burnt as if it had been attacked, smashed to the side and killed, and the mere thought of just _what that meant_ made Aloy feel nauseous.

 _It’s Teb’s Strider_ , she thought, standing up and turning around to scan the area, missing her focus more than ever. _It can’t be, why is he here and not in Free Heap? Did he get hurt…?_

Worry tying a cold band around her heart, Aloy walked back to her mount, guiding it by the reins along the river, looking for footprints among the tall grass and rocks, something that was almost impossible with the setting sun and the harsh shadows it created. After a long while, feeling a dark hollow filling her chest, Aloy suddenly heard an explosion, a dim roaring thunder spreading over the desert and echoing in the near mountains. She spun around and saw what she suspected had been an angry Trampler far in the distance, releasing its explosive shockwave to ward off a thread, destroying itself in the process. The cloud of flames erupting from the dying machine tinted the area orange and charred the plants around it.

Aloy only realized that she’d flung herself back on her mount when her lungs burned with exhaustion, pressing the Charger towards the explosion with panic rising inside her. She didn’t know what had caused the Trampler to attack but she needed to find out, needed to be sure that it wasn’t that horrible suspicion that made her stomach clench. She reached the charred circle gasping for breath, slid from the machine and frantically looked around.

Her heart almost stopped when Aloy all but stumbled over what turned out to be a human body.

She’d almost overlooked it, the skin burnt pitch black from the explosion. The corpse was lying on its back with the head turned to the side. Its limbs were nothing but charred stumps and Aloy couldn’t possibly tell if it had been a man or a woman before it had gotten caught in the Trampler’s explosion. There was no hair left, the clothes scorched to indefinable rags, the face nothing but a blackened mass that didn’t allow any kind of recognition.

Aloy blinked and knelt down by the corpse, trying to see anything that would give away who this was. She took in a sharp breath when she suddenly saw a vague metallic shimmer on the chest of the body and reached out, carefully peeling away a layer of crumbling black fabric to expose a small object under it.

It was a key.

“No…” Aloy muttered incredulously, refusing to believe what she saw, adrenaline roaring in her ears, her eyes blurring, her mind wiped clean but for the desperate hope to not find another one. Her hands shook when she carefully wiped away the crumbling ash flakes of burnt skin and clothes from the body’s chest.

Aloy clenched her hand so hard that her fingernails dug painfully into her palm when she discovered the second key.

She picked them up as gently as if they were bird eggs, held them, those small keys she knew so well that she could tell them from any others and shook her head in protest. Her eyes stung, her breath came in nervous little stutters and she clutched to that last desperate protesting hope that she was still mistaken, that this was a coincidence, that this wasn’t Teb’s burnt, dead body.

Aloy took a deep, painful breath, her heart racing in her chest as if it was about to break free, and slowly turned the corpse’s head to the other side, praying not to see what she was afraid to see.

When she found her focus attached to the dead body’s temple a horrible, burning realization hit her like an avalanche, wiped out her mind until it felt like she was falling. Aloy didn’t even realize her knees hurting when she helplessly sank to the hard ground by Teb’s side, a trembling hand reaching out to touch his chest, not feeling a heartbeat there, never feeling anything again.

“Teb, no…” Aloy muttered desperately, her voice choked. “No, no, no, _please_ , no…”

 _And I didn’t even answer him_ , she thought, overwhelmed, consumed by sorrow and pain and a cold void filling her.

_I didn’t answer._

_I didn’t tell him..._

Aloy took in a shuddering breath, her hands coming up to cup her mouth, nauseous and aching and reeling with despair, and eventually slumped forward until she knelt by Teb’s side, her eyes stinging until she couldn’t take it anymore and cried and cried and cried.


	22. Chapter 22

XXII.

The hours seemed to bleed into one painful blur as Aloy worked, tears still running down her cheeks without her able to do anything about it.

She didn’t know how long she’d spent by Teb’s body, kneeling by his side and crying until her throat felt raw and her eyes burned, until she felt like there wasn’t a single drop of water left in her body. She’d never cried over anyone’s death before. Aloy had seen her fair shares of death in all the fights she’d been in, people getting torn to bits by machines or blown up, seen companions dying by her side, lost the person that had been like a father to her. Aloy had grieved, of course she had, but she had never, ever felt like she felt now that Teb had been taken away from her, the pain eating her up from inside until there was nothing left but a small, shivering bundle of protest and utter hopelessness.

 _Human corpse_ , the focus said when she directed it against Teb’s body, and she both wanted to toss the device on the ground and kick it because of not even showing Teb’s name and thank it at the same time, because reading his name above his body would have broken her entirely, she was sure.

As much as Aloy wanted to curl up by Teb’s side and just close her eyes until it all turned out to be a horrible nightmare, she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t just leave his body here in the desert. It was slowly getting dark and she hurried to spread one of the blankets next to Teb to carefully wrap him in it for transport, away from the charred circle of burnt plants. His body was so badly charred and brittle that he all but crumbled when she jostled him too much. Aloy had almost thrown up with pain and desperation and guilt when one of his hands had broken off as she’d tried to gently wrap him in the blanket, having to take a break before continuing.

 _I’ll make sure he’ll have a nice burial_ , Aloy thought when she carefully carried Teb over to her resting mount and placed the bundle across the machine’s back. He was impossibly light to carry, as if his missing soul had accounted for most of his weight with his endless generosity and great-hearted compassion.

_Some place he would have liked to return to. Maybe the place in the wilds where we met for the first time, when I saved his life._

Her throat felt so tight she almost choked when her mind asked why she hadn’t managed to save him now, to be there for him when he needed help.

 _Teb died wanting to help me, even if he knew he wasn’t up to it. And I agreed. I’ve sent him off to his death_ , Aloy thought, wiping another tear from her face as her vision started to blur again. _And I haven’t even answered him._

That was what pained her most, the mere thought that Teb and her hadn’t had the chance to talk about his love confession, that Aloy hadn’t had the heart to answer, and parted ways with an unspoken tear in the thread that had always tied them together.

Now, she would never get the chance to make it right, to mend the tear in their connection. She had failed him.

 _What am I going to do without Teb?_ she asked herself as she mounted her machine and carefully brought it into motion, careful not to jostle it too much.

That was another question she couldn’t answer, and now Aloy knew that finding an answer was impossible. She felt empty and torn and the prospect of simply lying down by Teb’s side to dream of his gentle smile and his warm embrace and never wake up again seemed like the only thing she ever wanted to do again. Still, she had some work to do first, to make sure Teb could have his peace. Aloy owed it to him, even if it wasn’t enough. Nothing ever was.

Aloy rode on through the night, back to the track she knew Erend would take when leading his warriors to Free Heap. She was determined to reach them first even if Aloy didn’t feel like seeing any other person again, ever, but the Oseram troops had carts, and they would be more suitable to transport Teb’s body. Looking for the north star, Aloy adjusted her course and continued, the cold night air drying the tears on her cheeks.

-

Teb felt a gaze scrutinizing him and looked up from the salty boar stew he was slowly eating. Erend had sat down opposite of him on a rock in front of the fire after his checkup with the warriors and the freed captives. Teb nodded politely to him, causing Erend to narrow his eyes for a moment before taking a healthy drag from a bottle he’d brought.

The fire crackled and hissed and Teb shuddered contently, feeling the warm stew and the fur blanket around his shoulders finally chasing the tension from his muscles after what he’d been through. After he had run into Erend and the rest of his troops on their way to Free Heap, something he counted himself very lucky for since it might as well have been more bandits, Teb’s mood had somewhat improved. At least he was safe now, even if learning that Aloy was out on her own had made him falter inwardly. Still, Teb had been incredulously relieved to see that some of the missing Nora from the assault on the road had survived. He’d greeted a lot of familiar faces before quietly settling down by a fire as it got dark, content to eat his stew alone and missing Aloy with every fiber of his being.

“Teb, would you explain to me again why you were strolling through the desert all by yourself without a weapon?” Erend asked after a while.

Teb set his empty bowl aside. “The part with me being alone and not having a weapon was not planned, I’m afraid. I know it seems quite stupid, doesn’t it? I didn’t have a choice, sadly,” he replied with a careful chuckle. “I had promised Aloy to travel to Free Heap to act as a middleman between the arriving Nora war party and Petra while she’s out to get your help, so you have a backup. She gave me a spear and a mount, so at first I wasn’t quite so underequipped.”

Erend’s dark eyebrows rose a little. “Did you manage to keep them from skinning each other?”

“Oh, yes. The Oseram in Free Heap and our tribe members got along quite well. The Nora and Oseram both are very fond of good weapons and woodwork, as well as drinking at campfires. They have a lot more in common than my people thought, I believe,” Teb replied. “All it took was a little reasoning and patience.”

At that, Erend’s expression morphed into honest surprise. “Well, that’s impressive. Good job. The last thing we need now is a clan war.”

Teb grinned. “Thanks. Oh, and thank you for the food, Erend. I almost forgot. And the blanket.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Erend said impatiently with a vague gesture. “Anyway, how did you get here? Why on earth did you set out again after already being safely in Free Heap?”

“Zeera, an envoy of the Sun King who also joined us, asked me to deliver an urgent message to the watchtower,” Teb said, about to explain the background of this when Erend nodded understandingly.

“Oh shit, the changing of the guards! I know. I almost forgot about that. Always a mess with all those travelling civilians to keep safe when they accompany the guards changing their position. Smart girl, Zeera. I know her. And she asked _you_ to deliver the message?”

“A warning,” Teb clarified. “Asking the Morning’s Watch to postpone the guard changing a little and take extra care in case of wandering groups of bandits. However, I set out on my mount, delivered the letter and on the way back got attacked by a bandit scout. He took my shards, my keys and…”

Teb pressed his lips together for a moment, feeling shame burning inside him. “… and Aloy’s focus.”

Erend lifted an eyebrow. “Oh right, I remember. She didn’t have her beloved trinket with her. You had it?”

Teb nodded miserably. “To keep me safe, ironically. Didn’t help against the bandit ambushing me. I’m not very good at tracking and such. I hope she won’t hold a grudge.”

Erend shot him another one of those lingering, scrutinizing gazes, as if he was trying to see past Teb’s façade to find out if there was anything hidden behind it. Teb had nothing to hide and just returned the gaze with his usual open smile.

“Well, going by the way Aloy talked about you she won’t be angry with you, I’m sure. Probably set out to go and find the damn thing even if she has to comb the entire desert,” Erend muttered and took another swig of the bottle.

At that, Teb looked up again. “Aloy told you about me?”

Erend almost choked on whatever he was drinking. “Ah, dammit. Sorry. Erm, yes, she did. Mostly about your business and how you somehow managed to work a miracle and bridge that gaping chasm between the Carja and the Nora just by making clothes and armor. Damn, I’d rather believe stories about a Thunderjaw doing a belly dance but apparently friendship between the tribes is not as impossible as I thought. Well, and that you and Aloy… you know. Got cozy and all. Hope that’s alright with you. I know you two are close and everything.”

At that, Teb smiled a bittersweet smile, his heart both beating faster when he thought of just _how_ close he and Aloy had grown and feeling numb when he got reminded of his failed love confession. “It’s alright. I was… I _am_ very happy with her. If she wants to stay with me, that is.”

Teb’s last words were barely a whisper, but Erend seemed to have heard them anyway. That scrutinizing stare was back.

“I admit I was a bit surprised at first. You don’t exactly seem Aloy’s type.”

Teb blinked, now curious. From the stories Aloy had told him about her time with Erend and the battles they’d fought together, Erend must have seen quite a few interactions between her and interested suitors as well as her reactions to them.

“Oh? What is her type, then?” Teb wanted to know.

The question seemed to take Erend aback. His jaw dropped for a second and he blinked, then frowned, looking puzzled.

“Erm, well… I don’t know, now that you say it. So far Aloy didn’t seem to be the type for having a type at all. Huh,” Erend relented after a while, peeking thoughtfully into his bottle.

Teb smiled softly, but his smile turned a little lopsided when his heart started aching again. “I miss her. I just hope she’s fine.”

At that, Erend smiled too. “She’s probably out beating up anything that dares to look at her the wrong way. Don’t worry.”

Teb managed a quiet laugh, causing Erend to pitch it. “I think you’re right. Thank you, Erend. For helping her.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss out on the fun, right?” Erend came back. “After all, I did the same as you. Helped her with whatever she needs me for. Aloy has that way, I guess.”

 “She does.”

Teb’s chest ached when he thought of Aloy’s face when he’d told her about his feelings, and as if Erend could read his mind, or as if he knew about that too, his expression softened.

“Teb… You… Damn, I don’t know if I can talk about all this crap with you, but… Whatever happens between you two, keep it up, okay? You seem to be good for her, even if she hasn’t wrapped her stubborn red head around that yet,” he muttered, looking at his knees.

Teb nodded, deeply touched. “I will.”

Erend wordlessly handed Teb the bottle, and Teb smiled when he accepted it.

-

Aloy saw the tents peeking out of the morning mist by dawn, plumes of smoke curling towards the copper-colored sky. She didn’t speed up her mount, still afraid to damage Teb’s body and knowing that she already did a few times without having been able to avoid it, every nervous jump of the machine jostling the bundle and causing Aloy to having to suppress a sob of pain.

She had no idea how to explain to Erend that Teb was dead and nothing had ever seemed so impossible to her, telling the others that he’d died and having to accept it, shape it into words, admit that it was true. Even thinking about it hurt like an arrow in her heart and Aloy’s already tense stomach clenched worse the closer she got to the camp. When the Oseram warriors guarding the edge of the camp heard her approach, one waved to her and another marched off, probably to fetch Erend.

With her eyes burning and her hands trembling, Aloy dismounted and slowly led the machine with Teb’s lifeless bundle towards the camp, feeling as if she was walking to the edge of a cliff, ready to fall. When Erend showed up between the tents, he spread his arms to greet her.

“Aloy, there you are! Did you take care of the leftover raiders?” Erend asked jovially, but when he saw Aloy’s expression his smile faltered.

“Aloy, is… is anything wrong?”

Aloy tried to speak and found that she couldn’t, her voice choked and rough. She took in a shuddering breath, wanting to brace herself and failing.

“Erend, it’s Teb… he’s dead,” she ground out eventually, feeling as if every word made the pain in her chest worse.

Erend’s face was a mixture of confusion and disbelief, but not a hint of sorrow, she was shocked to see. “Wait, what? No, he’s not.”

“He’s dead, Erend. I found his body in the desert,” Aloy replied, the burning pain slowly flaring up to anger.

“No, he’s here, alive and kicking!” Erend insisted, sounding even more confused.

“Erend, if this is some kind of joke you’d better stop it,” Aloy growled, her voice choked by tears. Her hands clenched by her sides and she started to shiver. How could he say that? Teb was dead, his charred body wrapped in a blanket, his keys and the focus in Aloy’s pocket…

“Aloy, no. Please, he’s okay. Ah, dammit. Teb! Get over here, quick!” Erend shouted towards the camp.

Aloy was about to yell at Erend to shut up, to accept it, knowing that it all was an outlet to her own feelings of failure and pain and guilt and that deep, hollowing sorrow at his loss but not being able to bring herself to care. Tears started to form in her eyes, her stomach was so tense that she felt nauseous and she took a breath to speak.

Aloy choked on her own words and her heartbeat violently stuttered to a stop when suddenly Teb appeared between the tents and walked towards her. She froze, unable to move, unable to believe what she saw.

It really was Teb, sauntering towards her with that gorgeous, coy smile on his face, just like that as if nothing had happened.

 _It can’t be, it can’t, I found his body, he’s dead, what is happening…?_ Aloy’s thoughts asked, running lose, feeling as if she was having a horrible nightmare and didn’t know what was real anymore and what wasn’t. Maybe she had lost her mind in her grieving, drowned out by his loss and the sight of Teb’s dead, burnt body. Reeling with confusion, she took a step back and shook her head.

“No… you are dead. I found your body, you are dead!” Aloy exclaimed hoarsely. _Everything_ hurt.

Teb stopped and slightly lifted his hands as if to calm her, his expression concerned. “Aloy, why would you think that? I’m okay.”

“I found your body! I brought it here,” Aloy said, her voice breaking. She saw Teb and Erend looking over to the limp bundle draped across her mount.

“But, Aloy… If you found a dead person how could you confuse it with me? You know what I look like,” Teb said, now sounding worried as if she’d gone insane, and Aloy certainly felt like her mind was slowly falling to pieces. She felt herself shivering.

“I found your dead Strider, I heard an explosion from a Trampler, and within the scorched area I found a body, burnt and charred beyond recognition, but it had your keys on it, and my focus! It had to be you! For two days I believed it was your body I had found!” Aloy now all but yelled, tears forming in her eyes, praying inwardly to finally wake up, for this nightmare to end.

Teb and Erend exchanged an alerted gaze, then Teb’s eyes found hers again and he slowly, carefully approached her as if she was a wounded animal, tormented by pain and ready to bite.

“Aloy, that wasn’t me. I got robbed by a bandit, he stole my shards, my keys and your focus. Apparently he got killed and the corpse you found wasn’t me. I’m okay,” Teb said gently, now almost within reach of her.

Aloy blinked against the burning tears as she finally understood, slowly emerging from the chasm she’d been in, feeling that iron band around her heart breaking open and blood flowing back into it, and it _hurt_. Slowly, the thought settled herself inside her mind after almost two days of trying to accept that she would never see Teb’s smile again, never feel his warm embrace again, and now he was there, talking to her like an apparition in a dream.

Aloy shivered uncontrollably, her arms coming up to wrap around herself. She struggled for control, tried not to yell and not to cry and not to lose her mind. Teb finally reached her, causing her to flinch away from him, the image of the charred body with the focus attached to it, the hand that broke off as she tried to wrap the corpse for transport still filling her mind.

“Teb… I thought you were dead,” Aloy whispered. “I thought you were dead…”

She felt herself slumping forward, no longer to able to hold her tears back. Before she could fall to her knees she suddenly found herself wrapped in his embrace. Teb cradled her close, his hand warm on her back and his fingers curling into her hair so her face was tucked in the curve of his neck, pressing her against his chest as firmly as he could. His familiar scent enveloped Aloy, his heartbeat steady and soft against hers and so very much alive.

“Aloy…” he whispered, his breath warm against her temple. When she heard him say her name, the dam finally broke and she clenched her hands in the cloth of his tunic, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs as she burst into tears.

“I’m so sorry, Teb,” Aloy muttered. “I’m so sorry I didn’t answer…”

“Shhh, it’s alright. I’m just glad you’re here,” Teb whispered back.

“Don’t ever leave me, Teb, please…”

“I won’t, Aloy. I swear. I’ll always be with you,” Teb muttered, his touch like a silent promise. He held her as she cried, poured her sorrow against his neck until she felt all the grief and pain slowly bleeding out.

-

Teb had to steady himself to not start crying as well as he held Aloy, soft sobs making her shoulders tremble. She clutched to him as if he was a piece of driftwood and she was about to drown, clenching her hands so hard into his back that it hurt but he wouldn’t ask her to let go for the world. Teb couldn’t possibly imagine what Aloy had gone through when believing him dead. He knew that if the same had happened to him he’d gone completely insane with sorrow. What shook him most was that Aloy cried. Teb had never seen her crying before and that it was caused by his supposed death spoke volumes about what Aloy felt for him, in the saddest way he could imagine.

While he gently stroked Aloy’s hair to soothe her, Teb exchanged a look with Erend, nodding over to the bundle draped over the machine. Erend, who finally snapped back into motion after incredulously watching their exchange, nodded and gestured to a passing guard to follow him.

“Teb? I’ll take care of that dead bandit. You know what, take Aloy to my tent so you two have some privacy to sort it out. It’s the big, striped one,” Erend said quietly.

Teb nodded to him, utterly thankful. He made to reply but Erend gestured to him to not mention it and turned away to bellow orders. Teb gently ushered Aloy towards Erend’s tent. It was only a short distance but all the way she clung to him as if she feared he might disappear into thin air if she let him go for just one moment.

Erend’s tent was quiet and pleasantly shaded, offering them a shelter from the world as they lay down on a pile of furs. Teb gently cradled Aloy to him and held her close, stroking her hair as quiet sobs shook her. For a long moment it was all they did, Teb breathing in her scent and allowing her to wind down without speaking, knowing that she needed some time to come to terms with herself after what she’d endured. Eventually, Aloy went quiet again, her breathing slowly stabilizing and the tense grip on his arms relaxing until she was merely pressing close, her face hidden in the curve of Teb’s neck.

Teb heard Aloy sniff her nose, one of her hands coming up to wipe at her eyes. He smiled, running a palm over her cheek as she took a shuddering breath to speak.

“Teb, I… Sorry for this. I usually don’t… lose control like I did,” Aloy muttered eventually, looking a little ashamed at her display of emotion. Teb huffed out a soft laugh, bending forward to kiss her forehead. He could see Aloy trying to regain her footing, putting up her unshakable demeanor and iron-cast self control again. Her struggle was mingled with her incredulous joy to have him back, obvious in the way she still clung to Teb and her eyes wandering over his face as if she was drinking in the sight of his smile. As much as Teb felt pained by seeing Aloy’s tears he felt his heart racing with devotion, learning just how much the fear of losing him affected her.

“It’s alright. I’m sorry for accidentally scaring you. I swear that getting robbed wasn’t my intention. All-Mother, I felt horrible when the bandit wandered off with your focus. I felt so bad because of losing it,” Teb chuckled, rubbing a last stray tear from Aloy’s cheek. He felt his heart beating faster when Aloy chimed in with her soft laugh.

“Dammit, forget the stupid focus already, Teb. It’s nothing compared to you. I’m happy to have it back but I’d gladly give everything away, including the focus, if it means I can keep you.”

“Come here,” Teb whispered, leaning in and humming with pleasure when Aloy kissed him as if her life depended on it, deeply and passionately, as if it was their first kiss in years. Teb felt how much Aloy had missed him in the desperate press of her lips and returned it equally, melting into the kiss.

When he pulled back his eyes founds hers and he took a breath.

“I love you, Aloy,” Teb muttered quietly. He felt Aloy tensing up ever so slightly in his embrace, her eyes widening, and hurried to place a finger on his lips to silence her.

“Shhh, don’t. Don’t reply, just listen,” Teb said, finally having understood how much his love confession had affected her and how he could make it right. “Aloy… I apologize for taking you aback with my sudden confession back then. I didn’t mean to pressure you. You don’t have to answer if you’re not sure yet. I just want you to know. Nothing else.”

Aloy blinked and didn’t say anything for a long moment. Eventually she nodded, and Teb took his fingers away, turning the movement into a soft caress along the edge of her jaw.

“Teb? I think I…” Aloy began carefully, but Teb gently interrupted her again with a kiss on the lips.

“Not now, Aloy. Please. You’re not entirely yourself at the moment. I’ll wait for your reply after you had time to recover from everything that happened since we parted ways. Then you can answer me, after making sure you’re entirely ready. Okay?” Teb asked carefully. As much as he yearned to finally hear the words from her, he knew giving her some time to think it through would make sure she meant it with all her heart when she finally replied to him.

Aloy just grinned her lopsided, beautiful smile. “ _Not entirely myself_ is the understatement of the decade, Teb. You’re right. Thank you.”

Teb didn’t say anything, he just smiled and leaned in to kiss her once more. He felt as if the misunderstanding between them was solved, and despite his deep feelings of guilt at the emotional strain Aloy had gone through he was thankful that everything had led to them being able to make it right again. Teb knew he would have to wait a little for Aloy to come to terms with her feelings, but he now could be sure that she _had_ them, and that was all he needed.

They broke the kiss when suddenly a tall, bulky shade appeared in front of the tent flaps.

“Ahem… I don’t wanna disturb you guys, just saying that we’re ready to move on. Join us when you’re ready, okay? And don’t leave any stains on the furs!” Erend said, sounding a little grouchy. Teb laughed softly and Aloy rolled her eyes.

“It’s okay Erend. Come in. We’re dressed.”

Erend poked his head through the opening. He was already wearing his helmet and Teb could see the point of his weapon peeking over his shoulder. When Erend saw Aloy and him merely lying there, huddled together, he looked oddly relieved.

“Feeling ready to rally the warriors, Aloy?”

Aloy nodded. “I’m okay. Let’s waste no more time.”

She jumped up in one fluid motion and picked up her gear and her weapons, strapping them routinely on her back. She made to follow Erend, but before closing the flap behind her she turned around once more and shot Teb a gentle smile, brimming with unspoken devotion as she let her guard down once more, just for a short moment, just for him. In her eyes Teb saw that despite her obvious wish to move on from what had happened to her something had changed permanently between them, and done so for the better. She leaned in to kiss him once more and both followed Erend outside.

-

They reached Free Heap about three days later. Aloy squirmed with impatience to finally see how the Oseram around Petra and the Nora war party waiting there had gotten along with each other, but Erend’s warriors with their carts were painfully slow compared to Aloy mounted on the back of a Strider. For most of the time Aloy kept riding around the slowly moving caravan with Erend at the front, her excuse being scouting but mostly to keep herself occupied.

Aloy kept checking up on Teb more often than could possibly be considered necessary, but he didn’t mind in the least and neither would she agree to stay away from him. Every time she stopped by Teb’s side where he was marching along with the Oseram or freed Nora captives his face lit up like a sunrise and Aloy felt her heart beating with boundless exhilaration. Usually she jumped from her mount right into his arms and kissed him until the people around them politely moved to the side, shooting them amused glances, but Aloy couldn’t bring herself to care. She didn’t feel like there was anything to hide anymore. If others watched them kiss or noticed Aloy’s hand wandering down Teb’s back over his belt to his rear, causing him to yelp and blush, Aloy just smiled fondly and continued. She’d recovered from her shock quickly, and burying the dead, burnt body that had turned out to be a bandit had helped her to put the incident behind herself.

Still, something remained, and always would. Aloy felt that the invisible thread between them was mended after suffering a tear during their separation, and now it was brighter, stronger, always there to connect them. As much as Aloy had grieved when she’d believed to have lost Teb, it still had opened her eyes to something that she’d been unable to see before. She had realized just how much she needed Teb, the knowledge that he was whole and well for herself to be happy. She was reminded of it every time he smiled at her, every time he stopped in his steps to open his arms, every time she saw him chatting jovially to towering, bulky Oseram warriors to exchange experiences with making armor. Having Teb back felt like a gift and Aloy cherished it.

As much as Aloy would have wanted it, she and Teb hadn’t had much privacy together during the trip with the Oseram troops. They had gotten their own little tent, but it wasn’t only too noisy around them to be able to relax enough to undress and get close, but also they didn’t have any moon tea with them. Still, one evening Teb hadn’t been able to hold himself back, his hand venturing between Aloy’s thighs to caress her until she came undone with pleasure in the darkness of their tent, Teb’s lips muffling any sounds she made. She’d returned the favor the next day, using her hands to please him, but there still was an unspoken want hanging between them, a quiet promise to make up for it as soon as they got home again.

Aloy now knew that the feeling she had when she lay in Teb’s arms, basking in the sight of his drowsy, satisfied smile as he slowly fell asleep, had to be love.

She loved him, she was sure, the thought slowly settling itself inside her heart. Aloy hadn’t told him yet, reassured that he wouldn’t mind if she took the time to wait until she felt ready. Giving her feelings a name was one thing, a step she knew had taken her a long while, but actually speaking them out loud was another, and Aloy was endlessly thankful that Teb seemed to know already, content to wait for her. She wasn’t quite sure when she’d feel ready to finally tell him but he had managed to take away the pressure with his gentle understanding, something that intensified her feelings even more.

Aloy shot Teb a smile and a mischievous wink that made him blush, knowing that he understood without words, before urging her mount on and dashing towards the walls of Free Heap that finally rose in the distance under plumes of black smoke from the forges. As soon as Aloy arrived in front of the heavy iron-studded gates they slowly swung open, welcoming her.

“Aloy! How dare you disappoint me like that,” Petra greeted her with a wide smile on her face.

“Because I didn’t chase half the bandit camp in your direction?” Aloy wanted to know, mirroring the older woman’s smile.

“Yes! We’ve had all our cannons ready, and our warriors are sitting on pins and needles to take revenge. Don’t tell me it’s already over!”

Aloy dismounted and entered the settlement. “Sorry to bring bad news, but we’re done. The bandit camp is no longer. The area is ours.”

Petra laughed. “Pity. At least we’ve had some stray bandit scouts to take care of. I figured they wanted to return to the camp and didn’t find it inhabitable anymore, like wasps with their nest destroyed. Your Nora took care of them. I gotta say, their armor might lack the thickness, but they’re quiet as mice.”

Aloy looked around while Petra spoke, noticing about two dozen Nora Braves wandering about. Some waved to her, others remained focused on the task they were working on, helping out at the forge or crafting arrows under the curious eyes of Oseram villagers. There was no sign of hostilities and if the clothing style of the Oseram and Nora hadn’t been so distinctly different, they might have passed for one group.

“Seems like they get along just fine,” Aloy commented.

“Most of them. Your timid little friend, Teb, was a great help convincing them to come here and open up a little. He has a way with words. Can’t be angry with that sweetheart, I guess. Our beer and scrappersap did the rest,” Petra chuckled. “By the way, he hasn’t come back yet. He’s delivered a warning to one of the guarded towers.”

“Teb is with us. He stumbled upon Erend, luckily,” Aloy explained, carefully avoiding that incident with the bandit and the focus since it still made her tense up. “You said most of them get along. Don’t all?”

“Well, there’s a few around your captain who definitely disagree with the whole plan about creating a settlement shared by Nora and Oseram,” Petra slurred. “But as I said. Most really like the thought. That guy with the scary grin would approve of it too, he said. Do you know him?”

“Oh, Nil is here? Yeah, he’s… always on the lookout for opportunities to take care of bandits. A hobby of his. Think Erend and his men can enter now? We managed to free most of the captives and I believe they’ll be happy to reunite,” Aloy said.

She was right. There was a lot of hugging, greetings and warrior handshakes exchanged when Erend, his Oseram and the freed captives arrived in Free Heap. Apparently many of the hostages had been believed dead and Aloy quietly smiled to herself when she witnessed a lot of touching reunions. She stood to the side as the settlement slowly got fuller and fuller, turning into a messy, noisy assemblage of Nora, Oseram and a Carja wandering around to ask whether there were bandits left, by any chance. After the general chaos had subsided a little, a familiar face approached Aloy.

“Aloy! It’s so good to see you,” Varl said. He made to hug her and for once Aloy allowed it. She pulled back when he clutched her a little too firmly for her taste, but still smiled, happy to see a friend.

“Thank you for bringing the Nora war party here, Varl,” Aloy said sincerely. “Luckily we didn’t need you all but it still was a reassuring thought to have your support behind us.”

“Of course. I’d do anything for you,” Varl replied. Aloy subtly raised an eyebrow, but decided to not mention it and instead changed the topic, telling Varl more about the bandit camp assault. They were halfway through Aloy’s idea to blast through the tunnel to get access when Teb showed up from where he’d been helping making introductions. Teb smiled and made to greet Aloy but was stopped by Varl addressing him.

“Teb, I was just talking to Aloy,” he pointed out, sounding indignant at the interruption. Teb just shot him an apologetic smile and turned back to Aloy.

“Sorry. I won’t take long,” Teb murmured, bending down to kiss her. Aloy all but melted into him, her hands coming up to run over the soft, shaved hair around the stripe of dreadlocks on his crown. He pulled back after only a blissful moment, nodded politely to Varl and coyly blew Aloy another kiss before he sauntered off again. Varl stared after Teb with an expression like oversalted soup.

“Aloy, can I talk to you for a moment?” Varl asked quietly, and Aloy nodded, not quite knowing where he was going with this. She followed him as Varl marched towards a row of towers, ascending a flight of stairs until they were standing on top of a wall behind a building, sheltered from view and out of earshot. Varl turned to face Aloy and took a deep breath, and she was surprised to see honest concern in his eyes as if he was trying to stop her from making a mistake.

“Aloy, so… You and Teb,” Varl began. “You seem to spend a lot of time with him.”

Aloy frowned. “We are a couple, so, yes. I do. What about him?”

“A _couple_? How can you possibly want him? Aloy, he’s not even a Brave. He’s the only one in tribe history to ever give up voluntarily during the Proving! If you fail, you die, but Teb simply gave up! It’s been a scandal, back then.”

“Sounds like he’s the only one with a working brain, then,” Aloy remarked sarcastically. Why did Varl suddenly start this discussion with her?

“No, what I mean is… Look at you, Aloy. You’re one of the best warriors I’ve ever seen. The way you fight, your elegance, your strength, your courage are outstanding. And Teb is the opposite,” Varl reasoned.

“So what? He has other talents,” Aloy replied.

“You could choose anyone, Aloy. Somebody with equal abilities, who can keep up with you. Not someone like Teb. You have to admit he’s weak. He couldn’t shoot a Thunderjaw if he was standing right in front of it.”

Now, Aloy bristled. “He once did that, by the way, but that doesn’t matter. I didn’t pick Teb because of whether he can hit something with an arrow or not. If precise shooting was the only decisive factor I might as well go out with a Stalker.”

Varl huffed in frustration.

“Aloy, listen. The Matriarchs would never give him the consent to have you as mate. It’s encouraged to pick males with good hunting skills to feed a family, and Teb certainly can’t do that. But what’s more important, he’s left the Embrace and the tribe to join the Carja! It would break with so many Nora traditions.”

“You know, I wish everyone would be as open-minded and curious towards the world as Teb is. I don’t care about tradition, Varl,” Aloy came back, something fierce and warm burning up in her chest. She continued.

“Our talents and skills may be different but they’re complementing each other. He’s entirely confident about what he can do and what he can’t, and I admire that. Teb and I both know what rejection and loss mean, what it means to having to battle our way through people wanting to stop us from following our own path, even if it breaks with tradition. Teb understands me more than anyone else does. He balances me. Completes me. He’s perfect for me,” Aloy said, and found that she meant it with all her heart.

Varl sighed, apparently realizing that there was no way to change her opinion, and shot her an almost pitiful glance.

“You could have done so much better, Aloy.”

“No, I couldn’t. I love him, Varl.”

Varl froze and Aloy did the same, hearing her own words as an echo inside her head. She’d said it, said the words she’d been struggling with for so long, just like that. It’s been so easy.

Aloy wanted to say something else and found that there wasn’t anything to add. That was it. The ultimate reason. Varl seemed to be out of words. He took a long moment returning her determined stare, and when he saw that Aloy didn’t take back what she’d said he slightly bowed his head.

“I don’t understand what you see in him, but if it’s what you want… I hope you’ll be happy with it,” Varl said eventually, quietly.

Aloy nodded, realizing that the dim glow in his eyes was jealousy. After what Varl had said about Teb she was tempted to point it out, but decided against it. There was no need to put the boot in.

On behalf of their long friendship, Aloy reached out and placed a hand on Varl’s arm.

“Varl, I… I’m sorry you had hopes. I’m not very good at telling signs and such. You are a good friend, and an outstanding warrior. You’ll find a nice girl who fits you better than I do. I’m not the one you need, Varl. I belong to Teb,” Aloy said gently.

Varl’s eyes met hers once more, and the pain in them hurt her as much as the quiet acceptance soothed her worry that he would hold a grudge.

“I see. My best wishes,” Varl said sincerely, and Aloy nodded. She stayed on the wall and gazed out into the desert to give him a chance to retreat discreetly instead of coming out of their hideout together with her and drawing attention. She felt her heart racing in her chest after her talk with Varl, not sure if it was because of her defense of Teb or because of the words she’d said out loud, finally, but it hardly mattered.

There was only one thing she had to do now, and Aloy felt like she should have done so much, much earlier.

-

The moon slowly rose above the mountain range, bringing out the ragged slopes in the silvery light and making the river in the distance shimmer with mist. Aloy had tugged Teb out of Free Heap into the night, the noises of bawled laughter and drinking songs as the Oseram and Nora bid farewell to their fallen companions slowly getting quieter behind them and the orange shine of the fires slowly fading into blue and grey as Aloy led Teb towards the stream.

They stood on the riverbank for a while, basking in comfortable silence. Teb wrapped an arm around Aloy’s shoulder and gently pressed her against him as they watched the moonlight playing over the water as it rushed by.

“Why have you brought me here, Aloy?” Teb asked eventually with amusement in his voice.

“I… just thought it’s beautiful, with the moon and all,” Aloy replied. It was only half the truth, and she tensed up, her stomach fluttering as if it was filled with tiny Watchers jumping excitedly up and down when Teb turned his head to look at her.

“It certainly is,” Teb answered, pulling her a little closer.

Aloy nodded carefully, a part of her mind yelling at her to speak already. Teb seemed to sense at least something of her inner struggle and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Aloy?”

“Yes?”

“Is that the only reason you took me here so we are alone?”

“Not quite.”

Teb nodded, very slowly, and Aloy bit her lip, almost trembling under the tingles running down her spine and the heat pooling in her chest. He probably knew exactly what she had decided to do with that deep insight into her mind he had, but waited for her to take that step.

“Don’t do that, Teb,” Aloy chided, half playful and half frustrated at her own hesitation.

Teb just chuckled, earning himself a nudge. “Do what, Aloy?”

“ _That_. You know I’m not good at this,” Aloy chuckled, nudging Teb again who pitched in with his soft laugh.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he replied innocently, catching her wrists when she made to poke his ribs. Aloy squirmed, smiling widely.

“You know perfectly well what I mean, why I brought you out here,” Aloy bit back. “Stop grinning!”

“I don’t,” Teb all but whispered, tugging Aloy close so her chest bumped against his, close enough that she felt his warmth.

“Oh, stop it, stupid. I brought you here to the shore of the river to be away from the others and their annoying drinking games while the damn moon rises to tell you that I love you and don’t you tell me you didn’t know!”

Teb froze.

Aloy stopped moving and they both became very still. She dimly felt Teb’s hands letting go of her wrists, and they held each other’s gaze as their arms slowly moved up to embrace the other.

Aloy struggled to speak, shocked by her own words, but now that she had said them she scanned Teb’s expression, watched as it morphed from an incredulous stare to a touched smile.

“Do you really, Aloy?” he asked, his voice sounding choked.

Aloy nodded. “Yep. Sorry I kept you waiting. I know you’ve been so patient… it’s part of the reason why I feel for you like I do,” she said quietly. She knew her confession wasn’t quite as romantic and smooth as somebody with a bit more experience would have managed, but by the tears welling up in Teb’s eyes she knew she had done it perfectly fine.

“I love you, Aloy,” Teb muttered, his voice breaking, his words followed by a soft sob. Aloy laughed and pulled him in, allowed him to tuck his head in the curve of her neck as he took slow, shuddering breaths, his tears running down her skin. Smiling at his display of joy and emotion, she held him for the moment he needed to come to terms with his feelings, touched by his response.

“I love you too, Teb,” Aloy whispered against his neck, trying how the words felt on her tongue and finding that nothing had ever seemed truer. It felt right, in every way. Teb sobbed quietly and hugged her tighter, but she felt with every fiber of her being that it was because of his happiness. She rubbed his back in slow, rhythmic strokes and kissed his neck, patiently waiting for him to calm down after he’d been waiting for her for so many years now. It was only fair.

“Teb? You knew I’d tell you someday, didn’t you?” Aloy asked as soon as Teb’s breathing had stabilized again, coming slow and regular.

Teb sniffed and lifted his head, smiling at her, his eyes brimming with adoration. “I admit I had hopes. But actually hearing what you feel for me was… it was a little overwhelming. Sorry for crying,” he muttered, wiping at his eyes. Aloy just bent forward and kissed the thin streaks of tears from his cheeks, knowing he’d shed them because of utter, boundless joy.

“It’s alright. Don’t apologize for anything, ever. You’re perfect, Teb.”

Teb smiled and leaned into her palm caressing down his cheek, his golden-green eyes shining with devotion.

“Will you stay with me, Aloy?”

“I will, Teb.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

And she meant it, she realized when Teb kissed her, his heart beating in time with hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next (and last) chapter will be up on monday. I want to thank everyone who'd stopped by to read and left some love for this rare pairing!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last proper chapter, to tie up all the lose ends. It contains some time skips, but I had to compress it a little to fit it all into one chapter. I hope it still reads as usual.  
> As I've already said to some readers, I'll move soon and start a new job and everything, and finishing Teb's and Aloy's story with a proper ending is a fitting bottom line to that phase of my life. I've enjoyed writing this a lot and I wish to thank everybody who read it. It means a lot to me.

XXIII.

Aloy, Teb, Erend and the Nora stayed in Free Heap for as long as they needed to care for the hostages’ wounds, which luckily was about the same time Nil and the Oseram warriors needed to get restless and prepared to move out again. The buzzing throng in Free Heap gradually shrunk down as most of Erend’s troops left for the Claim again, not without a high amount of warrior handshakes, bragging about their accomplishments and trophies the next time they’d meet and, as Aloy observed with a smile, proclamations of friendship between quite some Oseram and Nora Braves. Erend and about a dozen members of other Oseram clans stayed, and Aloy suspected it was not only because of Petra’s excellent beer, but also because they didn’t want to miss the heated discussion between the inhabitants of Free Heap and the Nora about forming a settlement between Dawn’s Sentinel and Daytower like Aloy had planned.

Aloy leaned against a wall next to Erend close to the open square in the middle of Free Heap, watching the crowd with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” one of the more traditional Braves exclaimed. “Coming here every now and then is fine, but _living_ here…?”

“Nobody forces anyone to live in our new settlement,” Petra snapped from the dais she was standing on. “It’s going to be an Oseram town, which means smelting and forges and beer and if you don’t like that then good luck with the Snapmaws. You’re welcome to use it as a resting station during travels to the Sundom and back but we bloody well could use some good hunters to help the village grow.”

“But the Nora tradition doesn’t allow it!”

“I’d like to live here,” Osric piped up with a voice that drowned out all the others, standing tall with his arms crossed and a deep frown on his face.

“That’s only because you’re going sweet on that Carja lady! Start thinking with your brain again!” somebody from the back row pointed out but retreated immediately when both Osric and Zeera spun around, hands on their spears. A noisy back and forth emerged, the Nora slowly splitting into two groups, one of them wanting to support an Oseram settlement to hold the area and other strictly refusing to help, while the inhabitants of Free Heap complained about lacking cooperation.

“Calm, Aloy,” Erend murmured next to her, as if sensing how tense she was.

“ _Calm_? I’m about to spit fire, Erend,” Aloy muttered between clenched teeth, swearing to herself that the next time the word _outcast_ was mentioned she’d forget her good manners.

“Give them a moment. They have to want this, you can’t force them to make this step,” Erend replied. “By the way, where’s your guy? Shouldn’t he be supporting your plan?”

Aloy craned her head and spotted Teb as he elbowed his way through the arguing crowd as carefully and politely as he could. Aloy froze in surprise as she witnessed him approaching Varl, of all people. Varl frowned when Teb started speaking to him, obviously unwilling to talk to him because of reasons she now was aware of, but while Teb spoke Varl’s expression slowly changed, turning from offended to thoughtful. He gazed to the side, apparently deep in thought, Teb standing in front of him with his hands folded as if he was pleading him for a favor, but Aloy had no idea what he could possibly ask of him.

Varl’s gaze snapped to her just for a moment, then back to Teb. He seemed to come to a decision, nodded and stepped up to Petra so everyone could see him. Varl stabbed the blunt end of his spear on the dais a few times to get the crowd’s attention, and once it was more or less quiet he spoke.

“Listen, everyone. I’ve heard your concerns about Nora traditions getting violated with that settlement they plan to build to hold the area, and I’ve had those concerns too. You know my mother Sona is the tribe’s War Chief and I’m your captain, and I’m very well aware of our traditions and laws. But it’s been made clear to me that supporting the new settlement can be seen in accord with traditions,” Varl said loudly, waiting for the short uproar to quiet down again before he continued.

“It would be an Oseram place with strong walls around, like the place we stand in, built to hold against the wild. Still, we could fill it with Nora longhouses and shrines, and no Nora would ever have to worry about the dangers beyond the border again because we’d have a place that belongs to us as well. Whenever a Nora whishes to visit Meridian or hunt in the Sundom, we wouldn’t have to rely on Carja watchtowers to rest anymore, or sleep on the dry sands. We’d have a place here, in the Sundom. It’s been suggested to call that new settlement _Mother’s Hand_. In the Embrace we have All-Mother’s Heart, her Cradle, her Crown to keep us safe. And beyond the border, what would be more fitting than her sheltering hand to keep us warm and protected? Isn’t All-Mother wise and caring enough to reach out to her children even in faraway places? I tell you she is, if we only show the will and strength to try.”

Erend next to Aloy gaped, she registered vaguely in the corner of her vision, but she was too busy to stare incredulously at the murmur of agreement that slowly erupted from the crowd, loud cheers from the Nora who’d agreed to settle in the first place mingling with positive voices even from the ones who’d refused their support before. Varl looked the crowd over, returned nods and shouts of approval. Aloy almost couldn’t believe what she saw as the number of disagreeing Nora shrunk down after Varl’s speech, but when she saw Varl exchanging a glance with Teb, the latter smiling and showing Varl a gesture of praise, she knew what he’d done.

“That was Teb’s idea,” Aloy muttered to Erend, leaning over so he could hear her. “I bet he’s explained Varl what to say to convince them.”

“Why didn’t he do it himself if he’s so good at this Nora-related stuff?” Erend hissed back.

“Teb knows he’s not in the position to speak with authority. The Braves, the hunters and warriors respect Varl and look up to him, and if he agrees with it, explaining why their goddess wouldn’t mind them settling down in the Sundom, his companions will agree too. Teb probably just came up with the fitting explanation and asked Varl to shape it into a nice speech,” Aloy replied, inwardly wanting to hug Teb for his genius idea and thank Varl for his agreement. After their rather unpleasant talk recently she wondered why Varl would do Teb a favor, of all people, and made a mental note to ask him later.

“But what about mate blessings, the naming and other rituals?” a small leftover group of hesitant Nora wanted to know.

More disagreements followed and Aloy frowned when Varl didn’t seem to know how to answer. She watched as he exchanged a pleading glance with Teb, who lifted both hands in an insecure gesture she was very familiar with, his expression telling her that he tried to come up with an idea. Aloy tensed up when Teb suddenly made his way up to Varl and Petra, looking almost scrawny next to Varl in full captain’s armor and horribly nervous, obviously taking slow breaths as he tried to calm himself as dozens of eyes scrutinized him. It seemed to cost him a lot of courage, but he managed to straighten his back and look at the crowd below.

“Teb! Lost a needle up there?” Osric joked loudly, but clearly meant it friendly, causing the tense mood to relax a bit as some Nora laughed. Teb blushed brightly, but also smirked before pulling himself together.

“I believe there’s a simple way to solve the issue with the rituals,” he said, quietly but firmly, and despite his reluctant posture Aloy watched as the crowd went silent again to listen to him.

“I remember that there’s been Matriarchs getting sent to Nora villages in grave times, in case the village gets cut off from the others. It allowed them to perform childbirth rituals, blessings and judgments. The sent Matriarchs weren’t one of the three High Matriarchs in Mother’s Heart, of course, but they still acted in their name. In All-Mother’s name,” Teb explained, occasionally getting a little too quiet before catching his voice again to continue with more confidence.

“I know these are not times of war, luckily, but if we had a Matriarch in Mother’s Hand, she could perform the rituals in the High Matriarchs’ name, and we could keep up the traditions just like in the Embrace. Mate blessings, namings and everything else could be done here as well,” Teb concluded, waiting for the crowd to react. Aloy lifted her eyebrows as hope flared up in her.

There was a short pause and Aloy held her breath, but then, slowly, a murmur of agreement and muttered opinions on this matter erupted from the Nora, the general consensus seeming to be that this idea was quite acceptable. Some older warriors seemed to know about this arrangement and were inclined to agree to simply dispatch one of the lower-ranking Matriarchs to act as the spiritual and judgmental instance of the new settlement in the Sundom, in harmony with their traditions.

“It’s decided, then?” Varl asked loudly over the hum of voices. “The Nora will support the Oseram settlement in the Sundom, in All-Mother’s honor?”

“We bloody well will! Mother’s Hand!” Osric shouted, and the Braves chimed in. Aloy almost skipped up and down on her spot next to Erend, who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and a lopsided grin on his face.

“Looks like your guy worked his magic once more,” Erend muttered. Aloy smirked from ear to ear, looking over at Teb who still stood next to Varl and Petra on the dais. After all the trouble they’d been through to even out the way for the Nora and the other tribes to form something close to a friendship and believing to have lost Teb, seeing the Nora and Oseram agreeing to unite their forces to from a shared settlement now was almost too good to believe. Aloy had suspected another disaster happening out of nowhere, but here they were, with the Nora in Free Heap agreeing to settle in the Sundom, and Aloy brimmed with relief and happiness and most of all pride.

Aloy turned back to Erend.

“Thank you, Erend. For your support,” Aloy said, carefully lifting an arm and grinning when he wrapped her in a bear hug that she returned, deciding that she didn’t mind. He pulled back when Aloy patted his shoulder, trying to look casual but an obvious glint in his bright eyes betrayed how touched he was.

“Don’t sweat it. I owed you as much, Aloy. Just make sure to keep that little softie safe now, okay? You two belong together.”

“Oh, I will,” Aloy replied, smiling to herself.

Before she even knew she’d mingled with the crowd and elbowed her way through to Teb, thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him. Teb hummed in surprise but returned the kiss, leaving him with pink cheeks as some of the surrounding Braves whistled. Aloy couldn’t bring herself to care, only seeing Teb’s slightly flustered, coy smile. She held him close and only pulled back when the voices in the crowd began to subside a little, verging into an assemblage of scattered dialogues as the Nora discussed the arrangement in groups. Aloy grinned up at Teb and cupped his face in her hands.

“That was brilliant, Teb,” she whispered as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”

“You should be proud of yourself. It was your plan, after all,” Teb chuckled, bending forward to kiss her forehead.

Aloy shot him a smile before her eyes found Varl, remembering her wish to thank him. When she closed the short distance to him she expected to see some huffiness and was pleasantly surprised that he showed a relenting smile, only vague but definitely there.

“Thank you, Varl,” Aloy said. “For helping us.”

“I didn’t do it for Teb. I hope you know that. I did it for you.”

“You did it for the entire tribe, Varl,” Aloy pointed out, causing him to bow his head, but his smile widened and she felt that things were slowly settling between them. She nodded to him thankfully one more time and returned to Teb’s side. Teb took her hand as she pulled him over to Petra to talk to her about how to proceed from here on and never let go of it for even a moment.

-

“Teb, do you know where the lunatic with the Carja armor went?” Zeera asked him, handing Teb a cup of water.

“Nil?” Teb asked back, taking a thankful sip. “I’ve seen him follow Aloy this morning when she went to scout. I guess he’ll be back soon unless he finds bandits to chase down. Once we reach Mother’s Hand he’ll stay there.”

Zeera lifted an eyebrow. “Is having a probably dangerous hobby-hunter chasing bandits like an unleashed Sawtooth in your village a good thing or a bad thing, I wonder?”

Teb chuckled. He’d arranged himself with Nil, and even though he surely didn’t really appreciate when Nil flirted with Aloy, Teb knew and trusted his lover enough to know she wouldn’t touch Nil with a ten foot pole, or only to give him a kick into a spot that really hurt.

“I guess if he comes to Mother’s Hand to check out the area for sprouting bandit camps every now and then it can’t hurt.”

Zeera nodded and shrugged, then left him to it. Teb readjusted his position on the rock he was sitting on cross-legged and continued stitching a complicated blue and red pattern on a large piece of tanned leather, a banner he’d promised the Matriarch of Mother’s Hand to make. It showed the intricate triple-weave symbol of All-Mother, combined with a blazing Carja sun and surrounded by a knotted pattern inspired by the Oseram style. Teb found it fitting for what Mother’s Hand stood for, a successful merge of three cultures. When Aloy had seen his design first she’d made a joke about leaving space for a Banuk symbol as well, and laughed at Teb when he’d actually left a blank spot at the bottom. She’d kissed him for doing it, and Teb knew that Aloy also secretly hoped that someday, a settlement open to all tribes wouldn’t be an unusual view anymore.

Almost a month had passed since the battle against the bandits and bringing the Nora to help building a settlement in the cleared area. The High Matriarchs in the Embrace had given their consent and the positive reports from the Braves in Free Heap had finally given way to a wave of settlers leaving the Sacred Lands to move to the Sundom, skilled hunters, merchants and makers, some of them even bringing family. Teb and Aloy had left the Oseram and Nora in the growing settlement to themselves and retreated back to Meridian together with Erend, Zeera and Osric. Erend had taken up his position as captain of the Vanguard again, Teb continued his business and Aloy went back to hunting for him as if nothing had changed.

Something had changed, though – Teb felt it in every fiber of his being whenever Aloy looked at him, the unadorned love she no longer cared to hide. He could still feel her pulse quicken whenever he said it, told her the he loved her, but she returned the words with more confidence every day, and Teb couldn’t possibly put into words how much it meant to him. Teb had sworn to himself never to pressure Aloy again, allowing her to lead the way their relationship took. It couldn’t be better, he felt, their trust reestablished after what happened in the desert and in Free Heap and the formerly silent promise to stay together finally shaped into words.

Teb let his gaze wander over the brown and orange shapes of the mesa for a moment, looking out for Aloy. She was nowhere to be seen yet and so he continued his work on the banner. Zeera, Osric, Aloy and Teb had set out two days ago to travel from Meridian to Mother’s Hand to see how the settlement had grown and to greet the new Matriarch who should have arrived there by now. Nil had joined them out of nowhere as was his habit, planning to accompany them to Mother’s Hand to set up camp and check the area for bandits.

Teb was determined to finish the banner before reaching Mother’s Hand, but the relentless desert sun didn’t really make his job easier. He looked up when a broad shadow darkened his vision, greeted with Osric’s smirk behind a braided blond beard.

“Hello Osric. Aloy hasn’t returned from her scouting trip yet?”

“Not yet. Don’t give me that face, lovebird, she’ll be back soon. Eat something, Teb. You’ve been stitching nonstop,” Osric teased and sat down next to Teb on the rock, handing him a strip of jerky. Teb accepted it and put the banner aside to take a bite.

“Teb…?” Osric asked carefully, waiting for him to turn his head to look at him. “I… I’d like Zeera to marry me, I think.”

Teb almost choked on his food. He coughed against the back of his hand and swallowed, then lifted his eyebrows and shot Osric an encouraging smile.

“You definitely should ask her, Osric. I think you two make a wonderful couple,” he said sincerely. Osric huffed.

“Yeah, but… She’s a Carja. I mean, I don’t mind, but I have no idea if the Matriarch will give us the Blessing. Carja have a different way of wedding, I learned, and I don’t know if Zeera would agree to getting married the Nora way.”

“Ask her, then.”

“It’s not that easy, okay? I’m not as good with words as you are, Teb,” Osric complained grudgingly. “How about you and Aloy? Would you ask her to be your mate?”

“No. If she wants to seal our bond in some other way then promising each other to stay together, it’s up to her to decide that. I won’t ask her,” Teb explained calmly.

Osric nodded, his eyebrows knitted. “I see. I think. Does Aloy count as Nora? Or is she a Carja now after the time she spent in the Sundom?”

“I doubt she counts as anything but herself, Osric,” Teb came back.

Osric laughed. “Yeah, she’s feisty enough to make a one-woman tribe. Huh. Hey, Nil! How does a Carja wedding work?”

Nil marched into their field of vision, apparently back earlier than Aloy from their scouting trip this morning. He probably would have walked right past them if Osric hadn’t called out to him, his hands toying with his bow and his usual look of dangerous absentmindedness on his face.

“A Carja wedding?” Nil asked. He cast another look around the small overhang they had made their camp in, something disappointed crossing his features when he discovered no enemies whatsoever, and came over to sit down by Osric’s side.

“First of all, Carja only marry among the class they’ve been born into. Nobles and nobles, commoners and commoners and so on. The marriage between partners of two different classes fuels many stories full of tragedy, broken hearts and bloodshed,” Nil explained. “Apart from that, it’s tradition to present the family of the bride with gifts like hunting trophies or slaves. The latter no longer, of course. A Sun-Priest gives the couple their blessing and joins them under the light of the sun at noon. And then there’s a feast. Also it’s common to challenge the groom to a duel if there’s more than one suitor interested in the bride. It usually ends up in one competitor killing the other. I like that part.”

“Okay… It’s not so different from Nora weddings, I suppose,” Osric said. “Well, apart from that whole gifting the bride’s family and dueling the groom. And Nora don’t have classes, unless you want to count encouraging good hunters to wed equally talented huntresses. Erm… Now that I think about it there’s a bunch of differences after all, I guess…”

“Osric, I doubt Zeera would mind you not being a Carja noble. In any case, she counts as a huntress. Maybe the Matriarch would wed you two the Nora way?” Teb remarked, giving Osric a nudge with his elbow.

“Well, I’d have to ask. Don’t quite know how.”

“Would you duel me if I challenge you for your bride?” Nil asked from Osric’s other side, causing Osric to roll his eyes.

“You don’t even like Zeera.”

“I like duels till death. Would you, now?”

“No, Nil. I wouldn’t.”

“Looks like this is going to be a dull day, then.”

-

Aloy leaned back into Teb’s embrace, shivering with pleasure when he pressed a kiss against the back of her neck. She reached up behind her until her fingers found his ear and gently rubbed the shell, causing Teb to rumble a soft, shuddering moan against her skin. When she enhanced the pressure Teb muffled a groan by pressing his lips into her hair, one of his hands delving down her stomach to caress along the inside of her thigh. Aloy smiled and kept going, biting her lip with her stomach doing a backflip as Teb’s other hand crawled up her body to cup her breast, gently massaging it through the leathers of her armor.

Teb let out a sound of surprise and Aloy muttered a curse when their Broadhead almost tripped over a rock as its rider’s attention was drifting off, and Aloy hurried to get her hands back on the reins to steer the mount on the path.

“We… shouldn’t do that while riding,” Aloy murmured with a grin, peeking back over her shoulder to look at Teb sitting on the Broadhead’s back behind her. His cheeks were flushed and pink and his pupils blown, but an amused smile stretched his lips.

“I suppose you’re right,” he whispered, bending forward to kiss her temple. “Even though I’d much rather lie down with you right here. I don’t care about anyone seeing. I miss your touch, my beloved huntress.”

“Not to mention the fact that we left from home only three days ago… Believe me, Teb, I’d much rather like to mount you than this machine but we’re almost in Mother’s Hand,” Aloy reasoned with a regretful smile, grinning when Teb let out another needy whine, rocking against her back, his arousal pressing against her making her core glow with want.

“Patience, Teb,” she ground out, but she felt that she didn’t even mean it, already too far gone. Her head swimming, she stared out at the horizon to see if Osric, Nil and Zeera were already within eyeshot, their companions having continued on foot while Aloy was scouting with Teb. They were not to be seen yet, Aloy found with a smirk. Determined, she tugged at the reins, feeling Teb clutching her waist with a small sound of surprise when she abruptly pulled the mount around and dashed away from the road.

“Where are you going…?” Teb asked from behind her over the noise of the steel hooves on rocks, but she didn’t answer until they reached a thicket of dead trees and bushes behind a rocky outcrop, surrounding a patch of tall grass.

Teb didn’t repeat his question when Aloy stopped the mount and all but dragged him from their machine, tugging on him until they stumbled into the thicket. Teb swallowed his question down, blushing with thrill at the realization about what Aloy was suggesting, and gave his assent by returning her kiss, deepening it until Aloy felt like she was drunk.

“Got moon tea with you?” she gasped against his lips, grinning when he nodded eagerly. “Oh good. You’re a blessing, Teb. Couldn’t have waited a moment longer.”

“Me neither,” Teb breathed, that tremble in his timid voice that indicated how much he wanted her, his smile tinged pink. Aloy immediately pulled him in for a biting kiss.

After making sure they were secure in that matter, the dam broke and they started tugging at each other’s clothes with abandon, still standing upright but grinding against each other hungrily. Aloy eyed her surroundings warily while Teb’s lips travelled down her neck, tracing hot over her collarbone, deeper still, and after making sure she didn’t see neither danger nor any unwanted spectators Aloy allowed herself to close her eyes as Teb’s mouth sucked a bruise into the curve of her neck. His warm hands undid her armor and tunic and everything else, letting them fall aside to uncover her before leaning down to mouth at her breasts. It amazed her each and every time how reverently Teb treated her breasts, a mixture of desire and awe dancing over his features no matter how often he’d already seen them, how gently he touched them as if she was something precious. Aloy had to bite her tongue to swallow a moan when Teb’s lips closed over a nipple and sucked. Soon after, she pulled him up again to lick his ear, reveling in his cut-off gasp when her warm hands slid over the tiny beads of sweat on his skin. Teb blushed and his hands were trembling, his wonder at what they did obvious despite how many times they’d shared this already, and Aloy paused for a moment to return his gaze. Time slowed down for a few heartbeats as she stared into his eyes, her hand caressing down his jaw to his chin, knowing that she didn’t need any words to let him know how she felt. She leaned up and kissed him and they fell back into that rhythm. Aloy stared up at the desert sky with half-lidded eyes, trembling with anticipation, when Teb went down on his knees in front of her and kissed the inside of her thigh, convulsing when his tongue delved between her legs, curling wet and warm over her heat. Aloy had to cover her mouth with her hand to avoid making any loud noises, twitching under Teb’s tongue.

“Don’t hold back,” Teb whispered from beneath her as if he could read her thoughts. “No-one can hear you.”

His tongue returned to its task and Aloy let her head fall back, letting out a loud groan of pleasure that peaked in a sharp inhale when Teb slipped a finger inside her and curled it in addition to the quick drags of his tongue. He was right, they were in the desert and the only possible witnesses were rats and Glinthawks, so she tilted her head back and moaned again, shivering when Teb’s own sound of pleasure vibrated against her skin. She could feel his own arousal deepening in the pressure of his warm hand on her rear as he held her twitching hips in place. Before Aloy felt herself tipping over the edge she signaled him to stop with a touch on his temple. Teb let her haul him back up in her arms, Aloy kissing the taste of herself from his mouth. While she kissed him, she reached for the ties of his pants and pushed them down far enough to wrap her hands around his length, stroking him in the way that made him coil with pleasure, grinning when Teb moaned against her lips, eyebrows peaking. He was as ready as Aloy felt, desperate to be one with her, but as she looked at their surroundings, the patch of grass within a thicket of dead trees, she found that the rocky, sandy ground didn’t look very inviting.

“I doubt either of us can lie down on the rubble and enjoy it…” she muttered. Teb stopped kissing her for a moment, frowning at the hard soil.

“I have an idea. Come here to me,” he said eventually, his voice quiet and husky. Aloy watched as he not lay, but knelt down on the ground, his pants shoved down far enough to expose his lap. His gesture let Aloy understood what he was suggesting, and with a lopsided, heated smile she joined him. The plates of armor on his knees and shins protected Teb more or less while he was kneeling, Aloy realized as she straddled him, sitting down on his lap with her legs wrapped around his torso.

“Comfortable?” she inquired, her voice a husky rasp, smiling when Teb nodded. His pupils were blown wide and black and he wrapped her in his arms, gently guiding her hips so she could allow his length to slip inside her at her own speed. Aloy took her time, intent on dragging it out a little, craving for release but still wanting to enjoy being so intimately connected to him for a bit longer. Teb responded in the same way, his hands roaming all over her body, her shoulders, her arms, pressing warmly against the small of her back. Aloy leaned forward to nibble at his ear, smiling at the immediate cut-off moan it drew from Teb’s lips, her hands caressing over the back of his neck.

With the height difference of about half a head between them, Aloy was on eye level with Teb as she ground down on his lap, feeling him thrust upwards in correspondence to her movements. They were close, so very close, and she rested her forehead against his and felt his warm breath ghosting over her face in rapid little stutters, kissing him, watching with her head spinning as his eyes fluttered shut. The desert was so quiet that the sounds they made seemed impossibly loud, breathless moans and soft gasps and kisses pressed against fever-hot skin. Teb snuck a hand between their stomachs to press a finger against that spot, causing Aloy to tip her head forward in a helpless whisper of his name. Every roll of her hips heightened her sensations until she slowly felt that white-hot glow building up, seeing it mirrored in Teb’s eyes. Maybe it was the desert sun beating down on them despite the shadow the dead branches provided, maybe it was because they were sharing this right in the open, where everyone could see them, and Aloy didn’t know but it hardly mattered. It felt different, strong and intense as if she was doing something forbidden, in the sweetest way possible. Teb was sweating as he slowly drifted off to his release, his wonderful, heady scent urging Aloy on to bend down and lick the salt from his neck.

“Never stop, please, Teb…” Aloy all but breathed against his wet temple. Teb answered with a choked moan, pulling her against him in an angle that made her convulse as he stimulated that glowing spot inside her. Aloy cried out, clutching onto him as she rode out her height with shuddering gasp. She was just a moment faster than Teb and while she still shook from the aftershocks of her orgasm she watched his face as he came undone, that gorgeous expression of helpless pleasure so wonderful that she kissed him as if she was to capture every one of his moans with her lips.

The sound of their gasps for breath mingled with some early crickets and the soft rasping of sand blown around by the warm breeze. Aloy closed her eyes and just rested her head against Teb’s, allowing herself to drift for a moment, enjoying the way Teb’s sweaty skin felt against hers. They stayed like that for a long while, just holding each other close as their height slowly subsided. Eventually, Aloy lifted her hips just enough to let him slip out, but stayed on his lap, cupping Teb’s face to kiss his drowsy, satisfied smirk.

“That was… very nice, Aloy,” he commented with his coy smile, and Aloy knew she’d never stop being amused at his adorable blush whenever they shared this, knowing he’d always treat it as something special, something to be thankful for.

“It was. As much as I enjoyed it, let’s get up before the ants decide they don’t like our presence. I can do without bites in my pants,” Aloy suggested drily, grinning when Teb laughed. She helped him up and they quickly collected their strewn-about clothes to dress. Soon after, they were back on the Broadhead that had been waiting indifferently next to their hideout. Feeling utterly more relaxed, Aloy finally rode them back to the path until Osric, Zeera and Nil became visible as little dots on the horizon.

Aloy grinned when Teb leaned around her to kiss her neck, exchanging a knowing little smile with him that made him chuckle softly. Aloy urged the Broadhead on and to catch up to Osric, Zeera and Nil. Teb waved to them as they rode around them in a circle, before settling for a trot by the little group’s side. They’d almost reached Mother’s Hand, the settlement’s plumes of smoke already visible at the horizon. The group followed the river upstream until passing the large assemblage of broken vehicles of the Old Ones, rusting in the sand. Aloy spotted some Oseram busy tearing large chunks of metal off to load them on a cart that was already well filled with scrap metal, coal and driftwood, guarded by a Nora huntress with a bow in hands.

The river soon split its stream into two as it flowed over a flat plain between the mountains in the east and the mesas in the west, an island formed between the two river branches before they reunited again a bit further up the stream. The soil around the island was greener than most of the desert, fields of reeds and bushes framing the shore. Some dozing Snapmaws were drifting in the water close to the shore, the sinking sun glistening red on the silvery plates on their backs. Mounted atop the island in the river was a quickly growing ring of stones and wooden palisades sheltering the new settlement, Mother’s Hand. The smoke rose from within the palisades, and as Aloy galloped closer a wooden drawbridge was slowly lowered down for them to cross the water.

“They’ve made good progress. Look, Aloy, the longhouse is almost finished!” Teb remarked, reaching around her to point excitedly at a typical Nora longhouse, flanked by two Oseram towers with spherical roofs. Aloy smiled when she looked the workers over, Oseram and Nora carrying rocks and planks. She dismounted the Broadhead and took Teb’s hand to help him climb down, taking the time Osric, Zeera and Nil needed to catch up to look around. There was something of a spatial separation between Nora buildings like wooden huts and the Oseram forges and houses, mostly made of massive stone, but the separation was only gradual, both styles merging into one from a distance. Aloy spotted some Nora helping out at forges and two mothers, a Nora and an Oseram, carrying armfuls of arrows while chatting with each other, their children running noisily around their legs and they walked by.

“Something tells me Nora coming to Meridian won’t have to worry about a dangerous road anymore, and neither do Carja traders,” Aloy summarized, smiling when Teb looped an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“You’re right, Aloy. I’ll go and show the Matriarch the banner I made. I hope she likes it,” he said, taking his satchel from the Broadhead. When he marched past Aloy she gave him a quick slap on his backside, causing him to yelp and turn once more, giving her a playful smile. Aloy grinned to herself and went to one of the communal fires to heat up some water, making herself a cup of moon tea. While sipping the bitter tea, she walked over to the gate to wait for Osric, Zeera and Nil. They arrived shortly after, crossing the bridge like Teb and Aloy had done before. Osric immediately got greeted by a flock of Nora Braves he was friends with while Nil prowled along like a Stalker, aiming for one of the huts at the edge of Mother’s Heart.

When Aloy left the gate and walked back to the longhouses, she was joined by Petra.

“Nil is here often, I heard?” Aloy asked her.

“Occasionally. I gotta admit, as creepy as he is sometimes, it’s nice to know he’s on our side. There’ve been no reports of bandits regrouping, only scattered sightings of raiders that Nil quickly took care of. We don’t mind him stopping by,” Petra said with that broad grin. “Your sweetheart and you came to greet the Nora Matriarch, I gather?”

“Yes. Just to see if everything is settled for the Nora here. I admit I don’t know as much about tribal custom, but a Matriarch’s word means a lot to them,” Aloy answered.

They reached the longhouse and Aloy wasn’t surprised to see the familiar totems and decorations, effigies made of dyed threads and painted animal skins combined with clay urns symbolizing All-Mother’s life-giving womb. The longhouse was placed near the center of the settlement on the highest point of the island, connected to the surrounding buildings by ropes with colorful little flags hanging from them. Not all of the connected buildings were Nora make, Aloy noticed, smiling at the Oseram houses also decorated with the flags. A small crowd of Nora and also a few Oseram had assembled in the yard in front of the longhouse, chatting idly. The rhythmic pound of drums mingled with the hum of voices as if they were waiting for something special to happen while dusk was falling. Aloy picked up the scent of beer and spices and was strangely reminded of the Proving, when all Mother’s Heart had been feasting in the streets.

As Aloy came closer she saw Teb standing by an elderly woman in front of the longhouse, streaks of white in her nut-brown hair. She was wearing the typical Matriarch robes with a smaller headpiece compared to what Aloy knew from the three High Matriarchs in Mother’s Heart, and seemed somewhat younger, causing Aloy to assume she didn’t have quite as many generations under her wing.

“It’s gorgeous, Teb. Thank you, boy. You always had a hand for these intricate touches,” the Matriarch said to Teb when Aloy came closer. She saw that the woman held the banner Teb had been working on for weeks, even stitching on the interwoven patterns while they were travelling through the desert, determined to finish it.

Teb blushed at the compliment and gave the Matriarch a respectful bow. Aloy grinned and stood by Teb’s side, taking his hand to give it a proud little squeeze. The Matriarch handed the banner to a Brave who took it to attach it to a pole. While the Brave worked, the new Matriarch looked Aloy over, her eyes crinkling in the corners when she smiled.

“I assume you are that special former outcast Teersa warned me not to address as the Anointed?” the Matriarch asked.

“I guess that’s me. I’m Aloy.”

“I’m Elvira. I’d tell you that I got dispatched from Mother’s Heart to serve Mother’s Hand as Matriarch, but I believe that was your idea in the first place, so you should know. Greetings from Teersa and Jezza, by the way,” Elvira said, and Aloy didn’t miss that she left out Lansra, something knowing and mischievous flashing up in her still very bright and young-looking eyes despite her age. Aloy had to grin, deciding that she liked the elderly woman.

“What’s this commotion about? Are you going to perform some kind of ritual?” Aloy asked, gesturing to the crowd still waiting in front of the longhouse, passing the time with music and tankards of beer being handed around.

“She’s going to inaugurate the longhouse and her position, dedicating the settlement’s fate to All-Mother and asking the goddess for her protection, Aloy,” Teb said. “That’s what I made the banner for. We’re hoisting it tonight, and after the prayers people can come to Elvira and ask her for a blessing.”

Elvira nodded as Teb spoke. “You two should join the feast as well. I need a while to get the incense ready and as soon as the moon rises I’ll start the ritual.”

Teb took Aloy’s hand and she allowed him to pull her into the crowd over to the huts where food and drinks were handed out. As little as she knew about tribal celebrations, she still felt the general mood of anticipation hovering over the village and the festive atmosphere was contagious. Teb ked Aloy to a bonfire to join Zeera, Osric and Petra were standing next to it. For a long moment, Aloy let the warmth seep into her bones as the heat of the day gave way to a chilly night under a clear, ink-blue sky. She shot Teb a glance, noticing how he exchanged looks and whispers with Osric, the sturdy warrior looking decidedly nervous and skittish as if they were planning something special.

“Teb? This ritual seems like something everybody is excited about,” Aloy murmured to Teb once he joined her side again, accepting the steaming cup of mulled wine he handed her.

Teb smiled and blushed, his golden-green eyes illuminated by the fire. “It is. The inauguration of a new building is always a reason to celebrate, and in this case it’s an entire village receiving the sacred blessing of All-Mother. It’s not often the Nora raise a new village, and unheard of to do so outside the Sacred Lands.”

Teb quickly looked left and right as if checking that nobody saw them talk, then leaned in closely to Aloy and whispered in her ear.

“Also, Osric wants to ask the Matriarch for his mate blessing with Zeera,” Teb breathed, sounding both touched and excited. “He’s so nervous about her reply. Zeera is a Carja, but maybe the ritual before will bring the Matriarch to make an exception.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows, glancing over to Zeera leaning against Osric’s fur-padded shoulder. She’d noticed the two having gotten very close, but Osric making that step seemed like another break with tradition to her.

“I hope so too, for their sake. They look happy together,” Aloy whispered back. Teb nodded. That’s been what made him so skittish, Aloy realized. As little as she understood the whole fuss around worshipping deities personally, she knew how much of an impact rituals and permissions of renewals in those could mean to tribes and the way they treated each other, and a Nora marrying a Carja was a step Aloy wasn’t sure the tribe was ready for. Still, going by what Teb said, the moment was better than any other.

When the moon started to peek above the mountains in the distance, the sparks flying up from the bonfires to mingle with the stars, Elvira began her ritual. The banner Teb had made, with All-Mother’s symbol, the blazing sun and Oseram knots, was hoisted above the longhouse under Elvira’s prayers. The sweet, thick perfume of incense wafted over together with the scent of smoke and the faint, lingering smell of forge fires. The Oseram in the crowd visibly drifted to the sides of the place to make space for the Nora in the middle, but remained watching curiously, following the back and forth of prayers as the Matriarch asked their goddess for her favor.

Teb muttered some lines of the prayer along with the other Nora, Aloy noticed, but when the others raised their hands to chant he stayed by her side, taking her hand in his instead, his fingers interlacing with hers. Teb shot her a half amused, half apologetic glance as if excusing himself for participating in the ritual even though he knew Aloy wasn’t willing to do so as well. Aloy just smiled warmly at him. She knew sometimes he liked to stick to those tribal habits, having known them from childhood on, and she deeply respected the confidence with which Teb was able to decide when to follow traditions and when not to.

“You can join the chanting if you want, I wouldn’t mind,” Aloy whispered to him. Teb huffed a soft laugh and leaned in to kiss her.

“I don’t need to ask All-Mother for anything. I have you. That’s more than I could ever ask for.”

Aloy shook her head, having to bite her lip to hide how touched she was. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, warm from the fire and his blush.

“I love you,” she whispered. Instead of replying, Teb rested his head against her shoulder and watched the ritual in silence by her side as the Nora sang together with the Matriarch, the sound of the drums like a heartbeat connecting them all. It carried a sense of festivity and unity that got deepened even further when Elvira suddenly included the Oseram in her plea for peace and protection as she spoke her prayer, asking All-Mother to hold her sheltering hand over them too. Aloy looked the Oseram spectators over and noticed the whispered comments they exchanged, their expressions somewhere between amused and flattered.

“Teb? I assume it was an honor to be included in the prayer, wasn’t it?” Petra hissed from Aloy’s other side, addressing Teb. Teb smiled and nodded.

“It certainly was. Just tell your people not to include All-Mother in their drinking songs in return, but you could thank Elvira for it next time. She took a risk changing the prayer like she did and it’s good to see it got accepted this well.”

Petra winked. “Sure thing.”

She retreated and left Aloy and Teb to stand huddled against each other, watching as the ritual got finished. As Teb had told her before, a lot of Nora went to Elvira one by one, to ask the Matriarch for a blessing of their child, their mate or their new hut in Mother’s Hand. When Zeera and Osric stepped up to her, Teb pulled Aloy to the front of the crowd.

“I want to see if she allows them to have their mate blessing,” he explained and Aloy readily followed, curious as well. They moved to the longhouse through the crowd, but when Aloy got closer and saw the expression on Osric’s face she furrowed her brow.

“Why can’t you give us the mate blessing?” Osric asked with frustration in his voice. Zeera next to him took his arm to calm him, but didn’t look happy either.

“Osric… I understand you and this girl are close but she’s a Carja. Our law doesn’t allow cross-tribe weddings and you know that,” Elvira said as gently as possible, but it only elicited a growl from Osric. “The mate blessing by All-Mother is made for children of the Sacred Lands.”

“Why don’t we marry the Carja way, then?” Zeera asked Osric.

“I… My love, I already moved to live in the Sundom for you, and I’m okay with that, but I still don’t want to lose my roots. It means a lot to me,” Osric came back more quietly, sounding defeated. Zeera nodded, petting his arm.

Aloy stepped up to the Matriarch. “I don’t understand… Why does it matter if both are Nora or not? Can’t you change the blessing a little so it includes people from outside the border as well?” she asked. “Has it never happened before that a Nora wanted to wed an outlander?”

Elvira shook her head. “No, never once. I would wed the two, I’m not as backward as Lansra, but the blessing would have to be changed, and there’s no exemplary case of that. I am not allowed to just change it as I please without permission.”

Aloy shook her head, frustration back with a vengeance. Now that Nora were about to cross the border more often and even come to make a living in the Sundom or in the Oseram settlement sooner or later some would fall for other tribe members, not just Nora, and wish for a way to seal their bonds. Aloy knew that sooner or later it would be the cause of sorrow and fighting and if she had anything to say about it she wouldn’t let that happen, not after everything she’d already done.

Her eyes met Teb’s, saw the empathy for Osric and Zeera in them, and the gentle, loving smile he shot her.

An idea formed in her head, something Aloy was surprised about herself, not only about the sheer audacity of it but mostly about how perfectly right it felt. There was only one way to overcome this obstacle, and deep inside she knew it would work.

She addressed the Matriarch again.

“But what if you had a leading case? An example of a connection between Nora and not-Nora couples getting wed with the traditional blessing? Could you adapt the blessing then?” Aloy asked.

Elvira frowned in thought. “I… believe I could. If there was a legitimate example to refer to, why not? The point is there is none, and I am not authorized to change any scared rites myself.”

Aloy’s heart fluttered with determination as she spoke. “I can authorize you.”

Now, the old Matriarch’s eyes widened. “You, young child? I know you’ve done a lot for the tribe, but how could you?”

“I understand it’s a sacred promise for the winner of the Proving to make a wish, anything they want,” Aloy argued. “And I won the Proving. About the wish, though… I’ve never made mine.”

Teb next to her flinched and blinked at her. Aloy shot him a soft smile. She’d trained all her childhood to become strong and agile enough to win the Proving to ask the High Matriarchs about her origin, but after getting injured during the assault of the Eclipse, Aloy had been taken to All-Mother mountain, and Teersa had told her all she knew to set her on her task, not because Aloy had asked her. Aloy had never come to ask anyone for her wish, and now that she knew about her origin she might as well make use of it for a different, better reason.

“Aloy… It’s true, the wish of the Proving champion cannot be denied. If it is in my power, I shall grant it. What do you wish for?” Elvira asked, still sounding skeptical as if she didn’t quite understand what Aloy was going for, much like the other questioning faces assembled around them.

Aloy half turned to Teb and held his incredulous gaze as she spoke.

“I’ve been an outcast all my life until the Proving granted me the status of a tribe member. Teb has been a Nora of the tribe all his life until choosing to become a citizen of Meridian, the capital of the Carja. Elvira, I wish for you to wed us and give us our mate blessing.”

Teb’s eyes widened as Aloy extended a hand, no idea how to phrase her question in the traditional way but not able to bring herself to care. “That is, only if you want to be my mate, Teb.”

It took Teb a moment to regain his composure, and when he spoke his voice sounded choked by tears, emotion and utter joy. He firmly took her hand.

“Aloy… Yes. I do,” he whispered. Aloy grinned and pulled him in, hugging him against her as Teb shivered, struggling to keep his breathing under control. He pressed his face in the curve of her neck and kissed her, holding onto her as if he never wanted to let go again. Aloy returned his embrace and gave him a moment to calm down, feeling a flutter of warmth rising inside her at the thought of sealing her bond with him. In his arms, with his soft scent surrounding her that was more familiar than her own, she felt understood. Wanted. Loved, just for who she was.

Aloy opened her eyes when she noticed Elvira stepping closer, a touched smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. “Aloy… Looks like I can’t deny you your wish. Not granting you the mate blessing you ask for would be a violation of our sacred rites, and we can’t let that happen. Teb might count as a Carja, and you as a former outcast, but I will marry you the Nora way.”

Aloy grinned, gently rubbing Teb’s shaking back with her palm. “Wouldn’t that require you to change the blessing a little to adapt to Teb’s and my origin and create the exemplary case you needed to wed Osric and Zeera was well?”

Now, Elvira chuckled, something sly and compassionate in her gaze. “I guess that would be just that. _Not_ doing it the way you wished for would be heresy. All-Mother would want you to have your wish, your mate blessing with Teb.”

“Happy now, Osric?” Aloy asked over her shoulder. Osric laughed and shook his head, looping an arm around the grinning Zeera next to him.

“You are unbelievable, Aloy,” he commented. The crowd of Nora and Oseram slowly seemed to understand what was happening. Aloy was blind and deaf to any of it, to the applause here and there and cheers of approval, only seeing Teb’s tear-stained smile as she pulled back to look at him, the utter joy in his eyes.

“Looks like we’re getting married, Teb,” she whispered. Teb made a soft sound somewhere between a sob and a chuckle, tears catching in the corners of his incredulous grin. Aloy cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply as if sealing her words on his skin, the promise they shared, and felt as if the thread between them got stronger and brighter with every passing moment.

-

Teb and Aloy received their mate blessing about a week later, deciding to have the ritual in Mother’s Hand before returning to their home in Meridian. Aloy had learned that she hadn’t quite asked for it the right way – there was a traditional question, apparently, a tribal custom strange to her, but Teb didn’t care. He was more emotional than she’d ever seen him and his display of utter joy touched her to the quick. The ritual itself was something she’d never witnessed before but she trusted Teb to guide her.

The inhabitants of Mother’s Hand watched, Erend, Nil and Petra among them, as the Matriarch spoke a prayer to All-Mother while Teb and Aloy held hands. Then she gave them a pot of blue clay pigment, a mixture that Aloy had learned would sink deeply into the skin and stain it permanently almost like a tattoo, used to create the familial facial markings all Nora wore. It was common to repaint the mark on the other during the mate blessing, darkening the shade and adding some of the respective partner’s mark to make it something new. Since Aloy didn’t wear face paint at all Teb simply repeated his own facial making on her, the intricate tribal pattern in sky blue curving elegantly around her eye.

Elvira prayed and spoke her blessing as Teb’s finger gently wandered over Aloy’s face, painting her with his mark, and after that she traced the lines on his skin with paint as well. The Matriarch undid the knots of an effigy of All-Mother made of soft wool and used the ribbon to tie both Aloy’s and Teb’s hands together, a thread connecting them, and the Matriarch sealed their marriage. In the end Teb stepped in and kissed Aloy, now no longer a couple, but mates.

At night, after the feast celebrating not only her’s and Teb’s union but also Zeera’s and Osric’s that had followed their ritual, Aloy pressed up against Teb’s warm body by her side. The sweet memories of their earlier liaison still made her spine tingle with pleasure, the aftermath of her height filling her with a warm, buzzing sensation of satisfaction. Teb felt the same, Aloy knew, dozing under the warm furs next to her in the small hut they slept in, only the two of them, occasionally opening his eyes to smile at her.

“Are you sure this is what you want, Aloy?” Teb asked, a finger tracing the mark on her face. The paint had dried, leaving a blue pattern that would stay there permanently.

Aloy huffed. She’d thought about it for a long time and come to the conclusion that with Teb, there was a difference between a bind and a bond, and the life she shared with him was the latter.

“Teb, the answer is the same as the dozen times you asked me this question already. Yes. I want you as my mate. More than anything.”

Teb’s smile warmed her heart. “I don’t doubt it. It’s just… When I got to know you and fell in love with you, I would have never dared to even hope for something like this, independent and wild as you were. It’s almost too good to be true.”

“And I’ve come to return your feelings because you don’t ask me to change, Teb,” Aloy replied quietly, seeing his eyes turning wet even in the dim darkness of the hut. “I made my decision. This is the right thing for us.”

“It is. I’m so happy,” Teb breathed, leaning in to kiss her. Aloy laughed quietly against his lips and savored the kiss until Teb became sloppy, his eyes falling shut. She watched him slowly fall asleep, their fingers interlaced. Aloy sighed and pressed closer, reflecting on her decision to ask Teb to be her mate as she marveled at how perfectly their hands fit together.

 _So much for feeling lost_ , she mused _. Wherever I am, I know Teb will be there for me and love me, always_.

She smiled to herself, running a finger down the bridge of Teb’s nose. Her hand found the pendant Rost had given her before saying her goodbye, his last gift, delivered with the wish for her to embrace the tribe after a life in isolation. With Teb, she would never be alone again, and deep inside Aloy knew that Rost had hoped for something like this.

“I’m so glad I found you, Teb,” Aloy murmured, pressing a kiss against the corner of his drowsy smile, causing him to hold her even closer. “It’s you I’ve been seeking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is NOT the end! ;)
> 
> I'm working on a oneshot, a little bonus as an outlook into Teb's and Aloy's future and what it holds for them. I guess I'll finish it by the end of the week, and that will conclude their story.
> 
> I'd still like to thank everybody who stopped by to read, left kudos and comments and especially the ones that stuck with Aloy and Teb until the very end. You've all motivated me to keep it up. Thank you. See you soon, one last time!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this is the last bit, a little slice of life bonus that I really wanted to add to show what Teb's and Aloy's shared future holds for them. There are some large time skips in between the sections. Don't expect any complex plot and don't read it if you're allergic to massive fluff.
> 
> This epilogue is dedicated to everybody who read my little take on what is probably the rarest pairing in the fandom and even left comments and kudos. Thank you so much, without your support I wouldn't have made it. Special thanks goes to J+schaeffer, DrusillaP and MightyLauren who've been with me since the first chapter, CynthiaER for their lovely reviews and especially the wonderful jakface who gifted me with beautiful artworks that made me pass out with happiness. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible talent with me! Enjoy this little gift in return, I hope you like it.

Epilogue

~ Three years later ~

Aloy took a deep breath and tried not to move, one of her hands reaching for the bucket next to the bed, just to check if it was still there. She’d been nauseous ever since waking up this morning and waited impatiently for Teb to return from the market, all the while trying to lie still, focusing on breathing slowly. After Aloy had woken up sick Teb had immediately hurried outside to see the Carja healer to fetch some medicine, a very experienced old lady with a small hut close to the stand Teb had run for almost four years now.

Aloy moaned as another wave of nausea washed over her, closing her eyes and trying to distract herself by stubbornly focusing on something other than her stomach, the sounds of birds from the jungle and the omnipresent background hum of Meridian’s streets. Aloy breathed out thankfully when the nausea subsided again. She had no clue what she’d eaten to feel as miserable as she did. Teb’s food had never caused them any sickness before, excellent cook that he was.

 _I’m sure I drank bad water during my last hunting trip and it has aftereffects. Shouldn’t have touched that stale pond in the jungle_ , Aloy thought regretfully and rubbed a palm over her forehead. The sound of the door made her open her eyes.

“Hey, Teb…” she murmured, warmth flaring up inside her despite the sickness. Her mate came towards the bed, and Aloy furrowed her brow when she saw his expression. Teb looked almost fearful, causing Aloy to wonder if he’d learned that she had a serious disease, but there was something different in his face that made her doubt that assumption, something that looked strangely like excitement or thrill, she wasn’t sure. When Teb saw that she was awake and looking at him, his expression immediately changed into a compassionate smile.

“Hi, Aloy,” Teb said gently and sat down on the side of the bed next to her, casting a quick look at the bucket. “Were you sick again?”

“Not yet,” Aloy ground out, closing her eyes again.

Teb nodded and reached out to smooth a palm over her forehead, turning it into a gentle caress down her cheek like he’d always done all those years ever since they had been living together. His hand trembled ever so slightly, Aloy noticed, but she still felt too queasy to ask him about it. She just hoped he hadn’t learned anything bad at the healer’s place, knowing the dangers of drinking water in the wild. Teb distracted her from the thought by picking up her hand and interlacing their fingers. She returned his touch, squeezing his hand, the gesture enough to encourage and soothe her a little. No words were needed, and Aloy managed to open her eyes again, her nausea chased away for a moment when Teb mustered a gentle, loving smile for her, the gaze they exchanged grounding her again.

He let go of her hand before Aloy could ask him about his visit to the healer, and she heard Teb walking over to the fireplace to pour hot water into a vessel, probably to make her an herbal tea. He shed his boots and padded barefoot over to the bed. When he came back to her side, he was carrying a plate.

“Aloy, could you… Here, sniff at this,” Teb said quietly, sounding oddly shaky.

Aloy frowned, but managed to sit up a little. Teb held the plate in front of her and she saw that it was covered with roasted meat and smoked bacon. As soon as the strong, spicy smell hit her nose Aloy had to cover her mouth with a hand, her stomach roiling angrily. She quickly turned her face away, fighting the surge of nausea down.

“Ugh… Take that away, please…” she managed to hiss, but Teb had already quickly retreated as soon as Aloy had turned away.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “I was just checking something.” He quickly carried the plate away and returned with a small bottle, pouring some of the contents onto a spoon. “Here, Aloy. Swallow this herbal extract. The healer gave it to me, it should ease the sick feeling very quickly.”

Her stomach roiling, Aloy eyed the spoon and the viscous brown liquid on it warily, but the subtle herbal scent didn’t make her feel dizzy, so she allowed him to give her the medicine. It was bitter but immediately soothed the nausea and Aloy lay back against the pillow, breathing out thankfully. She watched as Teb placed a cup of tea and a plate of dry bread chunks next to the bed.

“As soon as the tea has cooled down you should drink a little, and try eating some of the bread, Aloy, so you have something in your stomach,” Teb said.

He sat down close to Aloy on the bed with his legs crossed. Aloy nodded and picked up a chunk of bread like he had asked her, chewing slowly as the medicine soothed her queasy stomach. While she carefully ate, she couldn’t help but look at Teb’s face, trying to find out what was so odd about his expression today, as if he couldn’t decide if he was worrying about her health or strangely excited about something Aloy hadn’t figured out yet.

“Better?” he asked quietly when Aloy drank a sip of tea. She nodded, already feeling her stomach getting calmed down.

“Much better. Thank you, Teb. I wonder what that was. Did the healer say something about my symptoms?” Aloy wanted to know.

At her question, Teb visibly tensed up and averted his gaze, that strange expression fluttering over his features again. “She… well, yes.”

Aloy furrowed her brow. “Teb, what’s wrong? Tell me. What did she say? Is it something serious? It was the jungle pond water, wasn’t it?”

Teb’s gaze flicked back to hers. “Oh, no, no, no. You’re not sick, Aloy. Not at all.”

“Are you sure? It’s just an upset stomach? You ate the same food I had and you don’t seem sick at all,” Aloy remarked, slightly worried at his strange demeanor.

Her confusion intensified when Teb scooted even closer, his eyebrows peaking, and touched her chest, his palm wandering to her stomach and rubbing gentle circles, lower until resting on her abdomen.

“Aloy… When did you have your last bleeding?”

Aloy tensed, taken aback. Now that she thought about it she couldn’t even remember, having gone on many hunts and long trips so often that she’d completely lost track of her period, but now that Teb mentioned it, it seemed to have been much longer than usual.

“I… don’t remember. It’s horribly late, apparently. Does that have to do with my sickness?”

Aloy forgot to breathe when she saw Teb’s expression. He smiled, blinking rapidly, and when he spoke his voice sounded almost choked with emotion.

“Aloy, you… You are pregnant.”

Aloy froze. Her nausea suddenly completely forgotten, she stared at Teb with wide eyes, trying to understand as his words refused to settle themselves inside her mind. She struggled to speak, barely able to grasp one of her whirling thoughts.

“But, Teb… I can’t… Are you sure?”

Teb nodded, a soft, careful smile tugging at his lips. “The healer was sure when I described your symptoms. She asked me to check if strong smells made it worse, and it did. You almost got sick again when I showed you the plate of meat. Your bleeding hasn’t come for a long while. You are pregnant, Aloy.”

Aloy blinked, still refusing to believe. “But we used moon tea each and every time, Teb. We never forgot it.”

“It only lowers the chances, Aloy,” Teb said quietly, his palm rubbing over her lower stomach, her womb, as she realized now, slow and caring. “It seems like my seed got planted after all.”

Aloy shook her head. “Teb… What does that mean? Is everything going to change now? Am I going to be sick all the time? I don’t want that!” she breathed, feeling panic rising inside her, fuelled by her nausea.

Teb leaned forward until his lips touched her forehead in a soft kiss, the gesture Aloy had come to love so much, the familiarity of it immediately pulling her back a little from the panic. She closed her eyes until Teb withdrew again, his warm lips retreating but his eyes never leaving hers.

“Shhh, it’s alright, Aloy. Listen. The morning sickness will go away after a while. At first, nothing will change. The child is still so small that you’ll barely feel it, only later you’ll have to be more careful. You shouldn’t go riding then, and avoid fights, exhaustion, certain foods and danger to protect the growing child.”

Aloy’s head jerked up. “I can’t go hunting anymore?”

Teb’s smiled wavered a little. “When the child grows inside you, it needs you to rest. Don’t worry about payments and rent, I’ve saved enough shards to allow you to take it a bit slower,” he said, sounding worried despite his attempt to calm her. Aloy bristled, protest burning up inside her.

“I don’t want to rest, alright? I don’t want to do any of this, no sickness, no confinement, no having to lie around doing nothing, no being a housewife,” she hissed, feeling as if it was another person talking and not her, confused and still reeling from nausea. “I’m not ready!”

Teb reached out to her, his smile faltering altogether. “Aloy, please, it’s okay. I know it’s scary. I’m scared too. It came so sudden,” he whispered. He picked up her hands and gave them a firm squeeze.

“Aloy, I… There is another thing I wanted you to know about, just to make sure. It would be unthinkable among the Nora, but… With the Carja society depending on classes and ranks, especially for nobility and their family trees, they have a way to end unwanted pregnancies. It’s still just a shadow in your belly, Aloy, so if you really, really don’t feel ready, we could… You know…”

Teb broke off, looking desperate. Aloy mirrored his expression as his words sank in, feeling numb.

He took a deep breath, his palm smoothing gentle, protective circles over Aloy’s womb. “It’s your body, Aloy. Not mine. You decide.”

Aloy shook her head, feeling dizzy and miserable for so many reasons at once she could barely take it. “No. I don’t want that either. And I don’t want to feel this horrible. I don’t know if I can make it, Teb. I’ve never even thought about becoming a mother, there’s so much I still want to do. I don’t want my life to be over!”

Tears welled up in her eyes, Aloy was shocked to realize, and the next thing she felt before panic to lose control could take her over was Teb’s warm embrace and his familiar scent enveloping her. His arms pressed her close, loving and gentle like he’d done all those years they spent together, his temple pressed against hers and one hand moving up to cradle the back of her head. Aloy pressed her eyes closed and tucked her face in the curve of his neck, holding onto him as if he was the only thing that kept her from sinking. She knew she didn’t have to hide anything in front of Teb and allowed herself to take a few shaky, shuddering breaths, letting go of her self control for a moment. Teb didn’t speak, didn’t judge, he just held her like he always did. Aloy felt his heartbeat racing in time with hers but he kept his breathing even, and Aloy struggled to match his rhythm.

They spent a long moment holding each other close, and Aloy could feel the shared fear between them at the realization getting lighter with every passing moment. She felt Teb pressing a kiss against her hair, her neck, her temple, and his hand touching the mark on her cheek, the one he’d painted during their mate blessing. Eventually Aloy found herself calming down, but subtle waves of nausea still made her shake.

As soon as he felt her breathing slowly settling back to normal, Teb spoke again, his voice quiet, but firm and brimming with affection.

“I know it’s scary, Aloy. But… I promise your life won’t be over. You’ll have to be a bit less reckless during the last moons, but after your pregnancy you can hunt again as much as you like. There will be so much more we can share. There will be a child, Aloy, _our_ child, depending on us, on our care and love as it grows happy and strong,” Teb whispered into Aloy’s hair. “I know bearing a child is hard and exhausting, and I’d give anything to take that burden from you, but I can’t.”

Teb pulled back to look at Aloy, tears glistening in his eyes. His palm wandered down to rest on Aloy’s womb again, warm and gentle. “This is why the Nora worship women, Aloy. Why they worship All-Mother. For their strength and their power to give life. You are my goddess now, Aloy. I’ll do anything I can to help you, to make your burden easier. I’ve sworn to do so when we had our mate blessing and I promise to take care of our child with all the love I can give. You’ve made the world so much better for everybody. And this little thing inside your belly now depends on you being strong once more, and I’m sure it would love to live in the world you prepared. I’ll help you. I promise.”

Teb held Aloy’s gaze, and the endless devotion in his eyes caused her to slowly calm down, her breathing stabilizing until she felt able to speak.

“I… assume, knowing you, I won’t have to become a housewife, right?”

Teb chuckled. “Oh, no. Of course not. Somebody still has to feed us with meat and prey, right? I’ll gladly take care of the household after birth just like I do now, that’s not going to change. Still, I’d love to share the actual upbringing of the child with you. It would learn so much from you, Aloy. You’d be an amazing mother, I’m sure.”

Aloy managed a touched smile, soothed by Teb’s rhythmic, gentle strokes and his comforting closeness. As suddenly as the revelation about her pregnancy had come and how much it had shocked her at first, she still had Teb by her side, and every struggle she’d come across in the years they’d shared had been eased through the love and support he offered her. Aloy took in a slow breath and allowed herself to embrace the thought, just for a moment, her and Teb as parents, her beloved mate playing with their child. It was quite a beautiful thought, she found with a small smile as her heartbeat quickened.

Her own hand went to her lower stomach to touch it, as if feeling for the slowly budding life in there, and her smile widened when Teb placed his hand on top of hers. Aloy looked up and was greeted with a slow, thorough kiss, lasting long enough to chase away the fear. When they broke the kiss, Aloy took another breath, now feeling a lot more like herself.

“And… you’ll help me see this through, Teb?”

“Of course. I love you, Aloy. And even though it’s still just a tiny bud in your belly, I already love it so much…”

Aloy chuckled for the first time this morning, touched by the incredulous happiness in Teb’s voice. She still felt a hint of insecurity, but at the same time something deep inside her sang with wonder and thrill at the thought of bearing his child. She felt reminded of the moments in which she’d seen Teb with children, how caring and patient he’d been around them and the unknown corners of her heart it had touched. It felt almost the same now, but so much stronger, intensifying to a warm glow of happiness as Teb’s hand gently rubbed over the budding child in her womb, protective and loving.

“When do you think did it happen?” he asked quietly. At Aloy’s questioning glance, he added: “Well, one of our encounters must have been the one that caused it. By what the healer said about a moon ago, a bit more maybe.”

Aloy laughed softly, despite herself. She tried recalling the occasions Aloy and Teb had been together in a way that could have made her pregnant. Over the years they’d developed a broad assortment of ways to pleasure the other. The varieties of their play included many methods that didn’t necessarily involve Teb to spend his seed inside her, but the last two moons had been full of actual couplings still.

“Oh boy, I hope it wasn’t that one time I pulled you in a shadowy alley by the market,” Aloy muttered, smiling when Teb burst into laughter, muffled against his hand but with a coy blush spreading over his cheeks at the memory. Aloy felt her ears warming up when she thought of the occasion, coming back from a long hunt and being so desperate for Teb’s loving touch that she’d pulled him away from his clothing stand into an alley, pressed against the wall with pants and armor haphazardly pushed out of the way just enough, having to bite his neck so hard when she came undone to muffle any sounds that she left a bruise that was visible for days after. Every time she had caught Teb pressing his fingers against the bruise, a warm, wistful smile on his face, she’d felt her stomach flutter with affection.

“I hope it was that one time on the balcony, Aloy,” Teb whispered, leaning in to kiss her. “You know, the warm night with the wonderful sunset that made the clouds look like they were burning. The sky was a red as your hair. You were so beautiful that evening.”

Aloy smiled, feeling touched. She did remember that evening more than well, the way Teb had looked up at her with adoration in his eyes before they’d fluttered shut as she ground down on him, his heated palms on her hips gently guiding her movements. It had been a wonderful, intense moment between them, and that the little bud in her womb had been created that night was a nice thought.

“I hope so too. Certainly better than the alley in the market.”

Teb chuckled, his hand gently caressing her womb. “Yes, you’re right. My beautiful Aloy… Just imagine the child to have your hair, like the clouds touched by the sunset, like sparks flying up from the fire.”

“Oh, that is just what Gera used to call me,” Aloy said. “Little spark.”

Teb smiled. “That’s a nice thought, isn’t it? Our little spark… I think I can already feel a little swelling,” Teb said quietly, his eyes shining with mirth. Aloy laughed and leaned forward to kiss him.

“And I think you are imagining that.” She grinned when he returned the kiss, long and thorough. “Teb? I know you’d be a wonderful father.”

Teb laughed, pressing a soft kiss against her nose. “Thank you, Aloy. And you’d be a wonderful mother. You could teach it hunting and riding, and I could teach it stitching. Well… if it wants to, of course. What if it finds me boring?”

At Teb’s genuinely concerned tone Aloy couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not boring, Teb. You are wonderful. I’m sure she will be your greatest admirer.”

Teb blinked, then smiled. “ _She_?”

Aloy felt a strange warm surge of emotion inside her, chasing away the nausea until her stomach fluttered with something else, something suspiciously close to joy. “I don’t know why, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a girl. Imagine a little girl with your green eyes, Teb.”

More tears welled up in Teb’s eyes, but Aloy could feel in the pressure of his hands just how happy he was. “With you as her mother, she’ll be so pretty. And quite a hothead, I assume.”

Now, Aloy laughed openly, her heartbeat quickening when Teb chimed in. He leaned in to kiss her once more, holding her close. “I promise I’ll be always there for you. I’m going to be a father, Aloy. I’m so happy!”

“Come here, Teb,” Aloy murmured, hushed against his lips as they kissed once more. She knew it’d be the hardest task she’d ever have to overcome and it scared her still, but after her talk with Teb, after seeing that utter joy and silent promise of his unmatched devotion and affection she knew he would support her and ease every burden she had to bear. They’d go through this together, every step of the way. Aloy allowed herself to relax into Teb’s embrace, his comforting warmth, relishing the feeling of his palm against their budding child.

-

Aloy shouldered her way through the doorway, cursing under her breath as she almost got stuck with the heavy load of Stormbird talons, Bellowback spines and Frostclaw plates she was carrying. She piled it up by the workbench on a spot that wasn’t covered in neatly folded furs or boxes of yarn, trying to be as quiet as her task allowed. It was already getting dark outside, the sun sinking in a burst of orange and pink above Meridian. Aloy didn’t hear any kitchen noises or the sounds Teb’s tools made when he worked on armor and suspected he’d gone for a nap. Quietly, she sneaked over to the sleeping section of the apartment.

Aloy’s lips stretched into a touched smile at the sight of Teb leaned back against a pile of pillows, a small bundle wrapped in soft wool draped on his chest. His hands cradled their daughter protectively against him, her head resting under his chin. Both were sleeping peacefully.

After quietly drinking in their sight for a moment, Aloy went to the kitchen to fetch herself a tea to do her worn-out bones a favor, careful not to wake them, at least for now. Watching her mate and the child they shared sleep was a sight way too beautiful to interrupt, so she was as quietly as she could while she prepared her tea. Her muscles ached after the several days long hunt all the way to the Cut and back, fetching enough machine parts for Teb to supply his workshop for a good while.

She’d decided she could take it a bit slower now.

After pouring hot water in a cup of chopped herbs, Aloy carried the steaming tea back to the sleeping section, past the workbench. She stopped when her eyes found a half-finished gown in a pretty blue Teb had made for their daughter, draped next to a pile of other tiny clothes, socks, blankets and tunics from the softest fawn leather and the finest silks. She smiled amusedly, running a hand over a machine miniature made of leather and wool, forming the shape of a stylized Grazer, one of many soft machine dolls Teb made for their child to play with.

Aloy turned and leaned against the workbench next to the bed as she sipped her tea, watching the little bundle dozing happily on her father’s chest.

Their daughter was almost a year old now, and watching her grow more than compensated for the struggle it had been to bear her. The pregnancy itself had been made considerably less troublesome than Aloy had feared when first learning about it, mostly through Teb’s support she was endlessly thankful for. Aloy had to admit to herself that she’d been secretly scared that the burden of her pregnancy would weigh down on her relationship with Teb, drive a wedge between then, and she’d been more than happy when she found out that the opposite happened.

While she was still carrying the child, Teb had kept his promise at all times, supporting Aloy  with all the energy and love her was able to muster, and she knew without him she’d not been able to see it through. One of Aloy’s biggest fears had been to not being able to cope with the need to rest instead of hunting deadly machines in the wilds, but she’d found that this fear had been an unnecessary one. Before, she’d treated her own body like a weapon, honed to precision and strength, trained to function. As the child in her womb slowly grew, Aloy found that the feel of her body changed, demanding her to avoid stress. She had gladly obeyed that need when finding out that getting pampered by Teb eased the burden she felt. Aloy had grown to relish when Teb massaged her aching shoulders or rubbed oil over the stretched skin of her stomach, touched by the flicker of anticipation in his eyes when he crafted clothing and toys. Surprisingly, the change didn’t make Aloy feel weak. It made her feel cherished. It didn’t drive them apart, it only thickened the thread connecting them. Since they didn’t need moon tea anymore, they’d never stopped sharing intimate encounters, Teb always paying mind to the quickly growing child inside her belly with reverent touches to her womb before pampering its mother until she almost dozed off with relaxation.

“You’re lucky you’ve turned out as adorable as you are, trouble that you’ve caused your parents,” Aloy muttered before taking another sip of tea, a fond smile tugging at her lips when the girl yawned, careless to the world as she napped happily on her father’s chest.

Finally giving birth in the maternity hall of Meridian had been a horrible strain that Aloy had almost banished from her mind, only remembering a long, vague blur of pain and blood. Teb elbowing his way through female healers wanting to stop him from entering an area only meant for women was one of the only clear moments Aloy could remember. He’d insisted to be with her as she struggled with her first birth, acting more fiercely than she’d ever seen him. Once Teb was by her side, her head and shoulders resting on his thighs as he knelt behind her, she’d calmed down immediately, and the main healer had allowed him to stay, for once, to not lose either the new mother or the child as Teb’s presence helped her in her labor.

The other clear moment Aloy could remember, concealed by a haze of blood loss and exhaustion, was the sight of the healer passing a quietly mewling bundle to Teb and his incredulous tears as he cradled their daughter to his bare chest.

Aloy returned to the bed and carefully sat down on the edge next to her sleeping mate and daughter. Between sips of tea, she reached out and gently ran a hand through the thin tuft of copper-red hair.

“Brave little Ellie,” Aloy whispered with a smile. It had been Teb’s idea to name Ellie after Aloy’s mother and former self, the strange woman Elisabet Sobek that looked so much like her. The pendant in the shape of the world Aloy had found on Elisabet’s body was hung above the small cradle Ellie slept in. She would have liked that, Aloy was sure. Ellie had almost the same shade of hair color that Aloy did, just a touch lighter like the color of blossoming fire kiln roots. Their child was small for her age very much like Aloy used to be, but she was in good health and had a joyful nature. Ellie didn’t make much noise and didn’t weep often, making quiet mewling noises to call her parents’ attention to her needs instead, oddly reminding Aloy of her father’s polite, timid nature.

Aloy bent down and pressed a light kiss against Ellie’s forehead, causing her to stir a little. She kissed Teb’s lips then, waking him up. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he opened them and smiled widely at her sight.

“Hey, Aloy. Good to have you back. Ellie and I missed you,” Teb murmured, gesturing her to join them on the bed. Aloy grinned and slipped on the mattress next to him, nestling up against his side.

“I missed you both as well,” Aloy whispered back, kissing him once more. “Your company is a lot more pleasant than angry Frostclaws.”

Teb laughed at her words, his breath warm against her skin. She shuddered with pleasure at the soft warmth of his lips, something she’d neglected as she realized now.

After giving birth, Aloy had had to practice to regain her strength, sparring and running Brave Trails until her muscles and her swift, athletic shape returned. As soon as Ellie started accepting food other than mother’s milk Aloy had gotten out on hunting trips again. Her body still carried marks of her pregnancy, some of which got less and less obvious while others would remain permanently. Her breasts were fuller and her belly had gotten a bit softer, and there was a certain curviness around her thighs and hips, softening her shape ever so subtly. Teb genuinely loved Aloy’s change of appearance, she knew. He never let a day pass without telling her just how beautiful she was, his warm palms adoringly running over her more feminine shape.

“How did the little spark do?” Aloy asked, reaching out to caress the girl’s cheek.

“Very well, mostly. She still walks very wobbly but it’s already enough to try and reach up to pull my tools from the tables, so I had to rearrange the workshop a little to make it safe for her curiosity. She loves stories and eats like a Rockbreaker. Yesterday she crawled up to the Thunderjaw doll I made for her and very boldly knocked it over. You should have seen the fierce expression on her face,” Teb told her with a fond chuckle. “I wonder where she got that talent from.”

Aloy grinned, bending down to kiss Ellie’s soft, red hair, causing her to smile without bothering to wake up. “Well, that adorable grin she got from you, Teb.”

“How did your hunt go? Everything alright?” Teb asked. Aloy smiled, placing her own hand on top of Teb’s as he rubbed Ellie’s back.

“Nothing exciting, really. A raging Stormbird that attacked Song’s Edge and got in a fight with my overridden Frostclaw and a herd of Bellowbacks that escaped from the hunting grounds,” she said, grinning at Teb’s soft chuckle.

“That’s my Aloy, adventurous as always,” Teb commented, pressing a fond kiss against her cheek. “Are you feeling satisfied with the outcome?”

Aloy nodded. “You’ll have a whole load of rare parts to work with, not even mentioning the bag of lenses I’ve collected. I won’t have to go hunting for a long while.”

At that, Teb raised his eyebrows, positive surprise on his face. “Is that what you want, Aloy?”

A smile tugged at her lips, tinged with something regretful. Aloy had stayed in the household for almost a year, only leaving to exercise in the courtyards of Meridian, focusing on the first months of Ellie’s life. As much as she enjoyed breastfeeding her little daughter, Teb watching her with his arms looped tightly around them both, she’d itched to move out again. Teb had granted her the space she needed, of course he had, but deep down Aloy had come to realize that hunting didn’t quite sate her as much as it used to. She missed her mate and child dreadfully despite the thrill danger provided, and over time she’d opened her eyes to where her true feelings lay. Helping strangers warmed her heart and killing large game made her feel strong, but that endless, tugging void of having to prove her worth to the world and herself only got truly filled when she watched Teb play with Ellie, who’d unsurprisingly turned out to be the most devoted father in the world, the loving smile on his face and Ellie’s quiet giggle.

These two were the ones she wanted to help most.

“Teb, I’d like to spend more time with you and Ellie,” Aloy said quietly, taking his hand in hers. Teb’s eyebrows rose even further and he touched her cheek, staring deeply into her eyes as if to see if she meant it.

“Aloy, are you sure? You won’t stop hunting altogether, will you? You know I promised to do the household and everything.”

Aloy smiled. “I know, and I appreciate that. I’ll go hunting every now and then but the big game can wait until Ellie is older. For now, you two are my biggest adventure. I neglected that. I’m sorry, Teb. Also, I stopped by the market to get us some moon tea. Our stock was getting low, I noticed.”

In Teb’s touched, blushing smile she could see that he never held a grudge, but that he was still more than happy to hear. Thankfully, Aloy leaned in to kiss him deeply, tasting him, feeling his heartbeat speeding up with desire just like it always did ever since they got together, something that Aloy knew would never change. Their kiss got more intense, their bodies drifting towards each other as if out of their own will, and eventually Teb jostled Ellie a bit so that she woke up.

Ellie made a soft mewling noise, complaining about the disturbance, and opened her eyes. Aloy hurried to pluck her from Teb’s chest to cradle her against her while Teb apologetically rubbed her small back as Aloy adjusted the girl in her arms. Ellie blinked up at her mother with eyes as green as the lake in the sun, letting out a quiet squeal of joy when Aloy cooed at her.

“She has your eyes, Teb,” Aloy commented not for the first time, marveling at their beauty. She felt him resting his head against her shoulder, his soft dreadlocks tickling the skin on her neck as he pressed close. Instead of answering he reached out to stroke Ellie’s cheek, causing her to interrupt her yawn with another squeal of happiness.

“Aloy… have you thought about my suggestion while you were out?” Teb wanted to know quietly.

Aloy had. As long as Ellie was still this small, Teb and Aloy had decided that there wasn’t a better place than Meridian to raise her. Food, medicine and supplies were always within reach and even when Aloy was out to hunt Teb could buy most of what he needed straight from the market. On long term, he had suggested to move into the wilds again, so Ellie could grow up with forests and streams around her, and other children to play with outside instead of in the dusty streets.

“Give her another year or two,” Aloy said. “I think then she’ll be able to travel with us. A place in a village in the wilds sounds good, Teb. I very much agree with you.”

Teb just smiled, leaned down to press his lips to Ellie’s grinning cheek and then moved up to do her mother the same favor.

-

 _Not so forsaken anymore_ , Aloy mused as she stood on the porch in front of the cottage.

It had been a good deal of work that still went on, busy makers and warriors helping to set up a growing number of longhouses and huts. The place formerly known as the forsaken village, a worn-down assemblage of buildings destroyed by corrupted machines in the times of HADES, had been a flourishing settlement before the catastrophe turned it into ruins and Aloy was proud to see it returning to its old state. Essentially the village was situated ideally between the Nora lands and Daytower, on the shore of a large lake full of fish with the mountains sheltering it. The successful maintenance of Mother’s Hand and the peaceful integration of Nora in the Carja settlements had added up to the High Matriarchs’ wish to set up another Nora place close to the Sundom border, and restoring the forsaken village was a task Aloy was only too glad to tackle.

“We still need a name for the village, Aloy,” Teb said as he stepped up next to her, looping an arm around her waist. Aloy raised her eyebrows when she felt his naked skin pressing up against her arm. Turning her head to look at him revealed that Teb was only wearing soft pants and nothing else. Aloy blinked, then raised an eyebrow at him with a lopsided smirk.

“You are aware that people could see us, aren’t you?” she murmured with a suggestive drawl in her voice, turning to face him. Teb blushed, just like he had always done ever since she knew him, and wrapped Aloy in his arms to press her close. Warmth flared up in her stomach, a familiar, steady heat that had never ceased despite the years they’d spent together.

“As much as I’d like to tell you that I don’t care who watches as long as I can have you close right here, I’m afraid it’s just because I promised Ellie to teach her swimming,” Teb came back, nipping playfully at Aloy’s lip before kissing her.

“Good. She’s almost five years old now, it’s high time that she learns how to swim. You’ll go to the lake, I assume?”

“Hm,” Teb hummed his assent, leaning in once more, one of his hands coming up to caress down her cheek as he deepened the kiss. A soft giggle interrupted them.

Ellie stood in the doorway of the hut Aloy and Teb had claimed for their little family, on the outer margin of the former forsaken village, the front door facing the lake. A small garden of herbs surrounded the cottage, Teb’s furs and leathers hanging on racks to dry in the warm sun. The wooden walls of the cottage had similar decorations to Rost’s hut Aloy had grown up in, something Teb had done for her while she was away for a hunting trip and that she’d peppered him with kisses for after coming back. Some of the painted patterns and Nora wall hangings were made by Ellie, who’d certainly inherited her father’s crafty talents.

“I’m done with my gift for Aloy,” Ellie announced, her thin chest swelling proudly. Turning to Aloy, she added: “This is for you. Teb helped me make it but I picked the colors.”

Aloy grinned at Ellie’s appearance, the girl only dressed in pants similar to her father and her upper body speckled with paint and pigment dust. Some of it was smeared on her copper-red dreadlocks, tied together with a leather strip and adorned with an owl feather she’d found while playing in the forest. Her deep green eyes sparkled and the freckles around her nose moved when she smiled and held up a necklace made of painted beads, dominated by pretty blue and turquoise tones.

“It’s lovely, Ellie. Thank you,” Aloy said sincerely, kneeling to accept the necklace from her daughter and sweeping her into a hug. Ellie laughed quietly when Aloy kissed her forehead.

“I also made a pendant for my bow so it looks like yours,” Ellie reported proudly. “I did like I promised and only used it when Teb was around.”

Aloy smiled at her reference to her parents’ strict order to never practice with weapons alone. Ellie certainly had inherited Aloy’s adventurous nature and played with weapons ever since she knew how to hold a stick, brining Aloy to craft Ellie her own small bow so she had an outlet for her curiosity and boundless energy. On the other hand Ellie enjoyed slow, creative tasks as well, watching Teb paint and sew while sitting on his lap and often asking to help him. In Ellie’s personality Aloy saw so much of her father as well as herself. Among the other children in the growing village Ellie was boisterous and restless, leading them in wild games in the surrounding forests, but she could be soft and careful as well. One time, Ellie had kicked a particularly troublesome boy twice her age square in the stomach for stepping on a frog for fun, only to cry bitterly over the frog’s death later when she was at home. Teb and Aloy hadn’t mustered the heart to chide her for starting a fight, instead cuddling her until she’d calmed down. Ellie often took to Teb when she was sad, finding solace in his gentle, soft embrace, and sought out Aloy when it came to questions on how the world worked.

“It’s high time you take a bath in the lake, little spark. You look like a Banuk’s tent,” Aloy remarked, poking Ellie’s paint-covered belly playfully. Ellie squirmed and laughed.

“I’ll swim like a fish, I promise. Aloy…? I know when we went to ride the other day, I said I wanted to become a huntress like you. But today Teb told me that he doesn’t hunt, but I like painting beads and his collection of feathers. I want to become a Stitcher too. Can’t I be both?” she asked, sounding oddly worried as if she’d thought about this particular dilemma a lot.

Aloy looked up to Teb who returned her gaze with a touched, gentle smile. He also knelt down until they both were on eye level with their daughter.

“I don’t see why you can’t be both, Ellie. You still have some time to decide, though. Maybe you find something else you like, something entirely different from what we do. That would be fine as well as long as you enjoy doing it,” Teb said, petting her hair while Aloy nodded encouragingly.

Ellie drew her eyebrows together in thought, a habit that made her look a lot like her mother. “Do you think I can become a machine-rider that rides through the forest all day to collect feathers? I’m good at finding feathers.”

Aloy managed only to grin, and Teb muffled his laugh against the back of his hand. “That sounds like a task that excellently suits your talents, Ellie,” Teb chuckled, leaning in to kiss her.

Ellie visibly perked up. Reassured, she took Teb’s hand and started pulling him away towards the lake.

“I want to swim now! You promised. See you, Aloy!”

Teb managed to press one last kiss against Aloy’s lips before Ellie swept him away and he obediently followed her to the shore. Quietly grinning to herself, Aloy crossed her arms and leaned against the wooden pole behind her. She watched as Teb and Ellie splashed through the water, their silly game soon turning into swimming exercises with Teb gently beckoning Ellie to paddle a few steps towards him in the shallow water, smiling proudly when she managed not to sink.

Aloy unconsciously touched the pendant around her neck, the familiar piece of bone cool and smooth against her fingers. She thought of Rost whenever she watched Teb playing with the daughter they shared, and of the wish he’d dedicated his life to, to prepare Aloy for the world. He’d taught her the courage to try and make it a better place, and now she could pass on his teachings to Ellie.

Aloy knew she’d done her outmost to make it a world Ellie would enjoy living in.

She was drawn out of her reverie when a Nora maker walked up to her, wiping sweat and wood dust from his brow.

“The Matriarch’s longhouse will be finished soon, Aloy,” the maker reported. “When she arrives she’ll want to know the name of the village. Preferably something that has nothing to do with anything forsaken. Do you have a fitting name in mind?”

Aloy nodded. She knew she’d have to come up with a name soon. Frowning in thought, Aloy turned her gaze back to the lake, to where Teb swam with slow strokes, waiting for Ellie to clumsily paddle after him, an adorable expression of concentration on her face. Teb looked over to Aloy for a moment and gave her an affectionate little wave before turning his attention to his daughter’s swimming attempts. The lake was clear and deep green, the shade getting richer the deeper the water got, shimmering in the afternoon sun like a jewel. It was the same beautiful green as in Teb’s eyes, Aloy mused, the same color their daughter had. Seen from the vantage point in the mountains it looked like a large, green gemstone, Aloy knew, like the eye of the goddess herself.

Decision made, Aloy smiled to herself, then turned back to the waiting maker.

“Mother’s Eye,” she said.


End file.
